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 1888 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 ZEST Tommy Loates Tom Jennings jnr 3-7st 1lbs Mr Tom Jennings 20/1
2 SKY PILOT Fagan Valentine (Private) 3-7st 9lbs Mr T Valentine 5/1
3 PALMLEAF Warne Jimmy Ryan 3-7st 9lb Mr Douglas Baird 25/1
4 GREY FRIARS John Watts Enoch 5-8st 13lbs Lord Zetland 100/12
5 TORCHLIGHT E Martin Sherrard 5-8st 10lbs Sir George Chetwynd 100/8
6 PLANTAGENET Jimmy Woodburn Rowe 5-8st 10lbs Mr A Victor 3/1 fav
7 SNARE F Barrett Robert Peck 5-8st 1lb Mr Childwick 100/12
8 WALTON Rickaby Richard Marsh 5-8st 1lb Lord Dudley 25/1
9 BLONDELL Nuttall Tom Jennings snr 5-8st 1lb Prince Soltykoff 25/1
10 FAST & LOOSE Robinson James Jewitt aged-7st 13lbs Sir John Willoughby 100/12
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 12th June 1888 and the winner, a bay colt by Zealot out of The Sybil, won a first prize of 300 sovereigns from 10 subscribers (equivalent to £39,000 in 2020). Over round 102%
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 1878 1879
1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888