Royal Plates during reign of Queen Anne

Queen Anne came to the throne on 8th March 1702 and remained on the throne until her death on 1st August 1714. During that time there were at least 43 Royal Plates, and up to 47, although it would be speculative to suggest that PEDLAR and WHARTON'S MARE won 4 Royal Plates during her reign. George I came to the throne on 1st August 1714, replacing Queen Anne, and remained on the throne until his death on 11th June 1727. Although the inaugural Royal Plate was held at Newmarket on Friday 1th March 1634 during the reign of the ill-fated Charles I, 6 further Royal Plates were held while his son, Charles II, was on the throne. During the brief period of joint reign by William and Mary a single Royal Plate was held, while when William III was on the throne alone 10 Royal Plates were staged. Queen Anne followed, with 46 Royal Plates held during her reign, the last of which was at York on Wednesday 29th July 1714, but the frequency was significantly increased by George I when as many as 97 Royal Plates (excluding one run in Ireland) were held across a number of English racecourses.

Two indices have been created to measure the way in which the influence of aristocrats on horse racing has decreased over the period when Newmarket had three Royal Palaces, enjoying and benefitting from the patronage of the Royal family between 1605 and 1854. The first index, SEx, an exclusive index which only takes account of the rank of nobility of winning owners, while the second index, SIn, is an inclusive index which takes into account the standings of all owners of horses in each race. These indices have used the following points system:- 10 (King/Queen/Prince), 9 (Duke), 8 (Marquess), 7 (Earl & Count), 6 (Viscount), 5 (Baron), 4 (Lord), 3 (Sir), 2 (colonel & Captain), 1 (Mr/Mrs/Miss). To view an analysis of reasons why these 2 indices might fluctuate over time CLICK HERE.

Source: Baily's Racing Register; Newspapers of the day.
Tuesday 22nd September 1702 (1st)

Bramham Moor (South of Wetherby)
Queens Royal Plate
1. CARLISLE horse owned by Earl of Carlisle
Thursday 2nd September 1703 (2nd)

Stapleton Leys (Yorkshire)
Queens £100 Plate
1. UNNAMED Winner
Tuesday 10th October 1704 (3rd)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate
UNNAMED horse owned by Duke of Somerset
UNNAMED horse owned by Lord Sherard
UNNAMED horse owned by Sir Robert Fagg
UNNAMED horse owned by Mr Carr
Thursday 12th April 1705 (4th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Duke of Somerset
1705 (5th)

Bramham Moor
Queens Royal Plate
1. RUFFLER
1705 (6th)

Hambleton
Queens Royal Plate for mares
1. CREEPING MOLLY owned by Mr Wrigglesworth
April 1706 (7th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate for mares
1. CREEPING MOLLY owned by Mr Wrigglesworth
Thursday 15th August 1706 (8th)

Richmond
Queens Royal Plate for horses, mares or geldings carrying 12st over 3 heats
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Sir Ralph Milbank
Saturday 12th October 1706 (9th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Lord Granville
Thursday 24th July 1707 (10th)

Malton (Langton Wold)
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 2nd October 1707 (11th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Lord Sydney Godolphin (at the time Lord Treasurer)
Thursday 29th July 1708 (12th)

Bramham Moor (Wetherby)
Queens Royal Plate
1. WOODCOCK
Tuesday 26th July 1709 (13th)

Hambleton
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED Winner
Wednesday 24th August 1709 (14th)

Curragh of Kildare
Queens Royal Plate for all horses
1. UNNAMED Winner
Wednesday 24th August 1709 (15th)

Datchet
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Colonel Moreton
Wednesday 24th August 1709 (16th)

Windsor
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Duke of Bridgewater
Friday 26th August 1709 (17th)

Curragh of Kildare
Queens Royal Plate for mares
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 13th September 1709 (18th)

York
Queens Royal Plate of 50 Guineas
1. WART, bay horse owned by Mr Metcalfe 1 1 3
2. STOUT, grey horse owned by Mr Heblethwaite 2 2 1
3. CAPTAIN, bay horse owned by Mr Wilkes 3 3 2
4. SQUIRREL, bay horse owned by Colonel Norcliffe 4 dist
Thursday 6th October 1709 (19th)

Newmarket
Queens Plate of £100 over 3 heats
1. UNNAMED Winner
Saturday 8th October 1709 (20th)

Newmarket
Prince’s Royal Plate
1. BONNY BLACK
Wednesday 26th July 1710 (21st)

Curragh of Kildare
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Lord Mazareen
Monday 7th August 1710 (22nd)

York
Queens Royal Plate of £60 for 6-y-o carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. BAY BOLTON, brown horse owned by Sir Mathew Pierson
9 ran
Thursday 5th October 1710 (23rd)

Newmarket
Queens Plate of £100
1. UNNAMED Winner
April 1711 (24th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate for mares
1. OLD SCARBOROUGH Mare owned by Sir Marmaduke Wyvill
2. BONNY BLACK, black mare owned by Duke of Rutland
Monday 6th August 1711 (25th)

York
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas for 6-y-o carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. SAMPSON, chestnut horse owned by Mr Hall
2. SPARK, grey gelding owned by Mr Hutton
3. SOURFACE, grey horse owned by Mr Nowell
4. NUTMEG, grey horse owned by Sir Ralph Milbank
5. VIZIER, chestnut horse owned by Lord Carlisle
6. DARCY, chestnut horse owned by Lord Molyneux
7. SMALLHOPES, chestnut mare owned by Sir John Bland
Monday 13th August 1711 (26th)

Ascot
First Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas
UNNAMED brown bay horse owned by Lord Raylton
UNNAMED grey horse owned by Lord Craven
UNNAMED brown bay horse owned by Sir William Goring
UNNAMED bay horse owned by Mr Orme
Thursday 4th October 1711 (27th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 3rd April 1712 (28th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas
1. ICKWORTH, bay horse owned by Earl of Bristol
Saturday 26th July 1712 (29th)

Hambleton
Queens Royal Plate for mares only
MARYGOLD, chestnut mare owned by Duke of Somerset and ridden by William Headley
PRIMROSE, chestnut mare owned by Duke of Kent and ridden by Thomas Spedding
MALILIA, bay mare owned by Duke of Rutland and ridden by George Beale
HOPELESS, grey mare owned by Mr Chilton and ridden by Robert Potter
UNNAMED bay mare owned by Earl of Carlisle and ridden by James Nicholson
BROWNET, chestnut mare owned by Lady Gainsborough and ridden by William Walton
MOTTLE, bay mare owned by Sir William Strickland and ridden by Henry Robinson
MILKEY, bay mare owned by Sir William St Quintin and ridden by John Furnis
CREEPING KATE, bay mare owned by Mrs Godfrey and ridden by John Moor
WAGTAIL, bay mare owned by Mrs Milford and ridden by William Hestlingtine
MILKEY, grey mare owned by Sir Ralph Milbank and ridden by Thomas Duck
TRENTHAM, black mare owned by Lord Gower and ridden by John Hackshaw
DOLLY, bay mare owned by Mr Curran and ridden by Henry Kirkham
LITTLE HEN, grey mare owned by Mr Hutton and ridden by Matthew Askew
CRIPPLE, grey mare owned by Mr Milbank and ridden by John Dent
SPRIGHT, grey mare owned by Mr Elstob and ridden by Thomas Rose
NORTHERN NANNY, bay mare owned by Mr Croft and ridden by Thomas Patrison
WEN, bay mare owned by Mr Carr and ridden by Henry Gratehead
DARK BETTY, grey mare owned by Mr Mickleton and ridden by Stephen Jefferson
Monday 28th July 1712 (30th)

York
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas for 6-y-o carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. FARMER, dun horse owned by Mr Watson 1 1
2. STURDY LUMP, grey horse owned by Mr Carr 4 2
3. PEPPER, grey gelding owned by HM Queen Anne 5 3
4. MONKEY, bay horse owned by Sir William St Quintin 6 4
5. SPOT, bay horse owned by Mr Mackworth 2 5
6. MILKSOP, bay horse owned by Mr Metcalfe 7 dist
7. BLACKFOOT, bay horse owned by Mr Curwen 3 wdr
8. MUSTAPHA, brown horse owned by Mr Lowther 8 wdr
Monday 25th August 1712 (31st)

Ascot
Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED horse owned by Sir Robert Fagg
Wednesday 27th August 1712 (32nd)

Datchet
Queens Royal Plate of £100
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 2nd October 1712 (33rd)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. UNNAMED Horse owned by Lord Harvey
Wednesday 1st April 1713 (34th)

Newmarket
Queens Plate of 100 Guineas
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 9th April 1713 (35th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas
1. FLANDERKIN owned by Earl of Bristol
June 1713 (36th)

Nottingham
Queens Plate of 100 Guineas
1. UNNAMED Winner
Saturday 1st August 1713 (37th)

Hambleton
Queens Royal Plate for mares only
1. UNNAMED Winner
Monday 3rd August 1713 (38th)

York
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas for 6-y-o carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. CHAMPION, bay horse owned by Mr Graham 1 1
2. SMALLHOPES, chestnut horse owned by Mr Carr 10 2
3. ALGIER, chestnut horse owned by Lord Lonsdale 5 3
4. MATT, bay horse owned by Mr J Noell 2 4
5. MUSTARD, nutmeg grey horse owned by HM Queen Anne 7 5
6. BLACKFOOT, bay horse owned by Mr Curwen 9 6
7. CREEPER, bay horse owned by Mr W Cecil 67
8. CRIPPLE, grey horse owned by Duke of Rutland 8 8
9. NUTMEG, grey horse owned by Mr Darcy 3 wdr
10. HARMLESS, grey horse owned by Lord Molyneux 4 wdr
Wednesday 12th August 1713 (39th)

Ascot
Third Queens Royal Plate
1. UNNAMED Winner
Thursday 24th September 1713 (40th)

Newmarket
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas
1. UNNAMED Winner
Monday 26th July 1714 (41st)

Hambleton
Queens Royal Plate for mares
1. PENELOPE
Wednesday 28th July 1714 (42nd)

York
Queens Royal Plate of 100 Guineas for 6-y-o carrying 12st over 4 miles
1. DUCHESS, bay mare owned by Mr Childer 1 2 2 1
2. FOXHUNTER, bay horse owned by Mr Pierson 2 1 1 2
3. SHY, grey gelding owned by Mr Young 3 3 4
4. DRAGON, bay horse owned by Mr Moore 4 4 3
5. IRONSIDES, grey horse owned by Mr Hutton 6 5 dist
6. PRETENDER, dun horse owned by Mr Dawson 5 6 dist
SEx = 4.24                         SIn = 3.21