| Location | Sandown Park Esher, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1963 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Charles Heidsieck |
| Website | Sandown Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 78y (3,290 metres) |
| Track | Turf, right-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 9 st 0 lb (4yo); 9 st 2 lb (5yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares Penalties 5 lb for Group 1 winners * 3 lb for Group 2 winners * * since August 31 last year |
| Purse | £80,000 (2011) 1st: £45,416 |
The Henry II Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 2 miles and 78 yards (3,290 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May.
The event is named after King Henry II, who founded an Augustine priory on the site of Sandown Park in the 12th century. The race was established in 1963, and the inaugural running was won by Gaul.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Henry II Stakes held Group 3 status. It was promoted to Group 2 level in 2002.
The leading horses from the Henry II Stakes often go on to compete in the following month's Gold Cup at Ascot. The last to win both events in the same year was Papineau in 2004.
Contents |
Most successful horse (3 wins):
Leading jockey (5 wins):
Leading trainer (6 wins):
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
| 1978 | Smuggler | 5 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | |
| 1979 | Buckskin | 6 | Joe Mercer | Henry Cecil | |
| 1980 | Billion | 6 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | |
| no race 1981 [a] | |||||
| 1982 | Ardross | 6 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | |
| 1983 | Ore | 5 | Lester Piggott | Willie Musson | |
| 1984 | Harly | 4 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | |
| 1985 | Destroyer | 4 | Simon Whitworth | Kim Brassey | |
| 1986 | Longboat | 5 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | 3:37.83 |
| 1987 | Saronicos | 4 | Tony Ives | Clive Brittain | 3:30.47 |
| 1988 | Primitive Rising | 4 | Steve Cauthen | Henry Cecil | 3:40.95 |
| 1989 | Sadeem | 6 | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | 3:29.93 |
| 1990 | Teamster | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | 3:33.88 |
| 1991 | Top of the World | 4 | Michael Roberts | Clive Brittain | 3:35.59 |
| 1992 | Drum Taps | 6 | Frankie Dettori | Lord Huntingdon | 3:32.75 |
| 1993 | Brier Creek | 4 | Michael Roberts | John Gosden | 3:39.64 |
| 1994 | My Patriarch | 4 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | 3:38.34 |
| 1995 | Double Trigger | 4 | Jason Weaver | Mark Johnston | 3:33.01 |
| 1996 | Double Trigger | 5 | Jason Weaver | Mark Johnston | 3:41.15 |
| 1997 | Persian Punch | 4 | Ray Cochrane | David Elsworth | 3:35.15 |
| 1998 | Persian Punch | 5 | Walter Swinburn | David Elsworth | 3:35.58 |
| 1999 | Arctic Owl | 5 | Ray Cochrane | James Fanshawe | 3:33.18 |
| 2000 | Persian Punch | 7 | Philip Robinson | David Elsworth | 3:53.45 |
| 2001 | Solo Mio | 7 | Michael Kinane | Amanda Perrett | 3:37.43 |
| 2002 | Akbar | 6 | Richard Hills | Mark Johnston | 3:32.44 |
| 2003 | Mr Dinos | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Paul Cole | 3:30.50 |
| 2004 | Papineau | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | 3:34.17 |
| 2005 | Fight Your Corner | 6 | Kerrin McEvoy | Saeed bin Suroor | 3:38.77 |
| 2006 | Tungsten Strike | 5 | Ryan Moore | Amanda Perrett | 3:45.55 |
| 2007 | Allegretto | 4 | Seb Sanders | Sir Michael Stoute | 3:39.47 |
| 2008 | Finalmente | 6 | Frankie Dettori | Simon Callaghan | 3:54.30 |
| 2009 | Geordieland | 8 | Shane Kelly | Jamie Osborne | 3:30.07 |
| 2010 | Akmal | 4 | Richard Hills | John Dunlop | 3:37.92 |
| 2011 | Blue Bajan | 9 | Daniel Tudhope | David O'Meara | 3:41.33 |
a The 1981 running was abandoned because of a waterlogged course.