Royal Ascot: Queen's Vase

The Queen's Vase was established over a distance of 2 miles for 3-year-olds in 1838, and its original trophy was a gold vase donated by Queen Victoria valued at 200 sovereigns. The race was opened to older horses in 1840, and after the death of Queen Victoria its title was changed to the King's Vase in 1903, but it was renamed the Queen's Vase in 1960 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Queen's Vase held Group 3 status. It was relegated to Listed class in 1986, and it was restricted to three-year-olds in 1987. It returned to Group 3 level in 1991 and was downgraded to Listed status again in 2014. However, in a move to recognise the importance of staying Flat races in the calendar the European Pattern Committee decided to upgrade the race to Group 2 status in 2017 while reducing its distance to 1 mile and 6 furlongs. The Queen's Vase is now contested on the second day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting, and is one of three perpetual trophies at the meeting, along with the Gold Cup and Royal Hunt Cup, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners. The 2013 running was renamed the 'Queen's Vase in Memory of Sir Henry Cecil' in memory of Sir Henry Cecil who died on 11 June 2013. Sir Henry had, at that point, trained the winners of more races than anyone at the Royal meeting (75), including eight winners of the Queen's Vase.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Queen's Gold Vase over 2 miles on the Swinley Course took place on Tuesday 12th June 1838 when the Lord Exeter owned Mecca (5/2 jt fav) defeated dead-heaters Morella (5/2 jt fav) and Seth (5/1).
QUEEN'S Vase 1965 Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 BEDDARD J Sime H Murless (Ireland) Mr R Reynolds 9/1
2 HILLGROVE Breasley F N Winter Mr W Ellis 100/7
3 ZULU D Smith G Brooke Major D McCalmont 100/7
4 AMBER DUST J Mercer W Hern Mr Charles Clore 100/7
5 VIVAT REX P Robinson Wharton Major L B Holliday 6/1 fav
6 NEWSRULLAH P Cook P Prendergast Mr L Gelb 13/2
7 AEGEAN BLUE S Clayton Houghton Lt-Commander P Emmet 100/8
8 SARTO J Roe M V O'Brien Mrs M V O'Brien 100/8
9 VALENTINE'S DAY J Purtell M V O'Brien Mrs Valentine 100/7
10 COMBINED OPERATION G Lewis Ian Balding HM The Queen 100/7
11 THATCH R Hutchinson J Jarvis Mr T Blackwell 100/7
12 PERSIAN QUOIT F Durr F Armstrong Mr J Mullion 100/7
13 CASPIAN FLEET L Browne R Peacock Duke of Roxburghe 100/7
14 SIKH E Smith W Hern Mr J Astor 25/1
15 EL CID G Cadwaladr Cousins Mr Eric Cousins 25/1
16 ABSOLVER P Tulk John Waugh Mr Robin McAlpine 25/1
17 SIERRA DE MIZAS G McGrath S McGrath Mr S McGrath 25/1
18 ALL FOUND T Carter Blagrave Mr H G Blagrave 25/1
19 HALLUCINATION M L Thomas Bill Wightman Major H Cayzer 25/1
20 DELIGHTFUL DEVON Patton Crawley Mr C Crawley 25/1
21 WISKHERT Sharman Cundell Mrs S Johnson 25/1
22 STAR OF AMERICA J Wilson H R Price Dr B Palgar 25/1
23 ORATOR W Snaith Gosling Mr L Salner 25/1
24 KRACADOUR R Maddock Bartholomew Mr S Supple 25/1
The Queen's Gold Vase took place on Tuesday 15th June 1965 and the winner, a bay horse by Quorum out of Miss Pepita, won a first prize of £3665 (equivalent to £73,000 in 2020). Over round 156%
Queen's Vase Group 2 1 mile 6 furlongs 1838
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