Henry II Stakes

Henry II Stakes
Group 3 race
Location Sandown Park
Esher, England
Inaugurated 1963
Race type Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor Cantor Fitzgerald
Website Sandown Park
Race information
Distance 2m 78y (3,290 metres)
Surface Turf
Track 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
6 lb for Group 1 winners *
4 lb for Group 2 winners *
2 lb for Group 3 winners *
* since August 31 last year
Purse £60,000 (2013)
1st: £34,026.
Henry II Stakes
2014
Brown Panther High Jinx Whiplash Willie

The Henry II Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses 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.

History

The event is named after Henry II, who founded a priory on the site of Sandown Park in the 12th century. It 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 in 2002, and relegated back to Group 3 in 2012.[1]

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 in the same year was Papineau in 2004.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Leading jockey (5 wins):

  • Joe Mercer – Grey of Falloden (1965), Charlton (1971), Zab (1975), Sea Anchor (1976), Buckskin (1979)
  • Frankie Dettori – Drum Taps (1992), Mr Dinos (2003), Papineau (2004), Finalmente (2008), Opinion Poll (2012)

Leading trainer (6 wins):

  • Dick Hern – Grey of Falloden (1965), Charlton (1971), Zab (1975), Sea Anchor (1976), Smuggler (1978), Longboat (1986)

Winners since 1978

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
2012 Opinion Poll 6 Frankie Dettori Mahmood Al Zarooni 3:34.80
2013 Gloomy Sunday 4 Olivier Peslier Christophe Ferland 3:44.57
2014 Brown Panther 6 Richard Kingscote Tom Dascombe 3:47.94

a The 1981 running was abandoned because of a waterlogged course.

Earlier winners

  • 1963: Gaul
  • 1964: Fighting Ship
  • 1965: Grey of Falloden
  • 1966: Fighting Charlie
  • 1967: Parbury
  • 1968: Chicago
  • 1969: Chicago
  • 1970: Ginger Boy
  • 1971: Charlton
  • 1972: Hornet
  • 1973: The Admiral
  • 1974: Ragstone
  • 1975: Zab
  • 1976: Sea Anchor
  • 1977: Grey Baron *

* Bruni finished first in 1977, but he was disqualified for bumping Grey Baron.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "BHA announces upgrades". British Horseracing Authority. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  • galopp-sieger.de – Henry II Stakes.
  • horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Henry II Stakes (2012).
  • pedigreequery.com – Henry II Stakes – Sandown Park.
  • Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 47–48. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.