King's Stand Stakes

The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.

History

The event was created as a result of bad weather at Royal Ascot in 1860. Heavy rain made it impossible to run the Royal Stand Plate over its usual distance of 2 miles, so it was shortened to 5 furlongs on the only raceable part of the course. The amended version was called the Queen's Stand Plate, and it subsequently became the most important sprint at the Royal meeting. For a period it was open to horses aged two or older. It was renamed the King's Stand Stakes following the death of Queen Victoria and the accession of King Edward VII in 1901.

The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the King's Stand Stakes was given Group 1 status in 1973. It was downgraded to Group 2 level in 1988.

The King's Stand Stakes became part of a new international race series, the Global Sprint Challenge, in 2005. It consequently featured a number of high-quality contenders from overseas, and it regained Group 1 status in 2008. It is now the fourth leg of the series, preceded by the KrisFlyer International Sprint and followed by the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

The race is currently held on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

Leading jockey (7 wins):

• Lester Piggott – Right Boy (1957), Majority Rule (1963), Swing Easy (1971), Abergwaun (1973), Godswalk (1977), Solinus (1978), Never So Bold (1985)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

• Vincent O'Brien – Cassarate (1962), Abergwaun (1973), Godswalk (1977), Solinus (1978), Bluebird (1987)

Leading owner (4 wins):

• Jack Joel – Sundridge (1903, 1904), Nice Prospect (1927), Tag End (1929)

Winners since 1979

^a The 2005 running took place at York.

Earlier winners

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races
• Recurring sporting events established in 1860 – this race is included under its original title, Queen's Stand Plate.

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

• galopp-sieger.de – King's Stand Stakes.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – King's Stand Stakes (2011).
• pedigreequery.com – King's Stand Stakes – Ascot.
• Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 100–102. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.  Cite uses deprecated parameters (help)