Queen Alexandra Stakes
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The Queen Alexandra Stakes is a flat horse race in the United Kingdom for four-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 2 mile 5 furlongs and 159 yards (4,370 m) at Ascot Racecourse during the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
The race named in honour of Queen Alexandra (1844-1925), Queen Consort of King Edward VII. It was originally titled the Alexandra Stakes and was given its present name in 1931.
It is traditionally the last race of the Royal Ascot meeting and is the longest flat race run in the United Kingdom. Until 2004 it was run over a distance of 2 miles 6 furlongs and 34 yards. When the Royal Ascot meeting was staged at York Racecourse in 2005 during Ascot’s redevelopment the race was run over 2 miles 6 furlongs and on its return to Ascot in 2006 the course re-alignment had reduced the distance to 2 miles 5 furlongs and 159 yards. It was suggested that the Marathon Handicap at Pontefract Racecourse might be run over a longer distance in 2007, but at 2 miles 5 furlongs and 122 yards it remains slightly shorter than the Queen Alexandra Stakes.
The extreme distance of the race tends to attract a varied field and runners often come from the ranks of hurdlers well as pattern race winners. It is also often contested by horses who have run in the Ascot Stakes earlier in the Royal meeting and in 2006 Baddam became the first horse to win both races in the same year since 1978.
The most notable winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes was Brown Jack who won the race on six consecutive occasions from 1929 to 1934.
[edit] Winners since 1986
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
| 1986 | Otabari | 4 | Richard Quinn | Paul Cole | 4:51.32 |
| 1987 | Sprowston Boy | 4 | Gay Kelleway | Paul Kelleway | 5:21.58 |
| 1988 | Overdrive | 4 | Steve Cauthen | Henry Cecil | 5:01.91 |
| 1989 | Ala Hounak | 5 | Billy Newnes | Frankie Durr | 5:00.63 |
| 1990 | Regal Reform | 7 | Dean McKeown | George Moore | 5:05.65 |
| 1991 | Easy to Please | 4 | Christy Roche | Jim Bolger | 5:01.10 |
| 1992 | Romany Rye | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Geoff Wragg | 4:54.15 |
| 1993 | Riszard | 4 | Christy Roche | Jim Bolger | 5:18.57 |
| 1994 | Cuff Link | 4 | Pat Eddery | Dick Hern | 4:57.66 |
| 1995 | Cuff Link | 5 | Paul Eddery | Dick Hern | 4:56.73 |
| 1996 | Admiral's Well | 6 | Richard Quinn | Reg Akehurst | 4:52.05 |
| 1997 | Canon Can | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Henry Cecil | 5:07.37 |
| 1998 | Dovedon Star | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Anthony Kelleway | 5:02.44 |
| 1999 | San Sebastian | 5 | Michael Kinane | Michael Grassick | 4:55.32 |
| 2000 | Dominant Duchess | 6 | Richard Quinn | John Hills | 4:56.57 |
| 2001 | Life is Life | 5 | Philip Robinson | Michael Jarvis | 4:51.26 |
| 2002 | Cover Up | 5 | Kieren Fallon | Sir Michael Stoute | 4:53.89 |
| 2003 | Cover Up | 6 | Kieren Fallon | Sir Michael Stoute | 4:47.89 |
| 2004 | Corrib Eclipse | 5 | John Egan | Jamie Poulton | 4:57.41 |
| 2005 | Cruzspiel * | 5 | Johnny Murtagh | James Fanshawe | 4:47.15 |
| 2006 | Baddam | 4 | Ian Mongan | Mick Channon | 5:04.06 |
| 2007 | Enjoy the Moment | 4 | Jamie Spencer | Jamie Osborne | 4:56.25 |
* The 2005 race took place at York Racecourse.
