Royal Ascot: Queen Anne Stakes

The Queen Anne Stakes, originally open to horses aged three and older, was established in 1840, and during the early part of its history it was called the Trial Stakes. In 1930, it was renamed in honour of Queen Anne, the founder of Ascot Racecourse. The Queen Anne Stakes was classed as a Group 3 race in 1971, and it was promoted to Group 2 level in 1984. It was given Group 1 status in 2003, and at this point the minimum age of participating horses was raised to four. It is now the first race on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting.
Early history:- Queen Victoria was in attendance on Tuesday 16th June 1840 when the opening race, the Trial Stakes, was won by the Duke of Rutland's 4-year-old Flambeau (4/7 fav) ridden by Jem Robinson, beating Barabbas, Camelino and 3 others. Prestonjee Boinanjee (4/1) made the early running until half a mile from home, at which point Flambeau took over and went on to win unextended by an easy 2 lengths, making it back to back wins in 1841.
Trial Plate 1877 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 PLAISANTE W Johnson Tom Jennings 3-7st 6lbs Mr Tom Jennings 8/1
2 BREECHLOADER Tom Chaloner Joseph Dawson 5-8st 4lbs Mr D Cooper 9/2
3 KING DEATH Fred Archer W Reeves 4-7st 13lb Sir J L Kaye 100/8
4 WORCESTER Jem Goater William Goater 5-8st 8lbs Mr I Bates 20/1
5 ASTEROIDAL John Watts Tom Cannon 3-7st 1lb Mr Tom Cannon 20/1
6 EXTRAVAGANCE J Macdonald Tom Brown 3-6st 11lbs Mr Tom Brown 20/1
7 THORN John Osborne Osborne aged-10st 2lbs Mr R N Batt Evens fav
8 THE DANCING SCOTSMAN Constable Dover 4-7st 13lbs Mr J M Polak 20/1
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 12th June 1877 and the winner, a brown filly by Cymbal out of Jeannette, won a first prize of 255 sovereigns from 11 subscribers (equivalent to £30,000 in 2020). Over round 107%
Queen Anne Stakes Group 1 1 mile 1840
1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877