The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a
Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to:
* Alkaline earth metal
The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group (periodic table), group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (B ...
flat horse race
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
in Great Britain open to
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at
Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and takes place each year in July.
History
The event is named in honour of
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...
, who became the
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales (; ) is a title used since the 14th century by the wife of the Prince of Wales. The Princess is the apparent future queen consort, as "Prince of Wales" is a title reserved by custom for the heir apparent to the Monarchy of the ...
in 1863. It was established in 1894, and the inaugural running was won by
Isinglass
Isinglass ( ) is a form of collagen obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish. The English word origin is from the obsolete Dutch ''huizenblaas'' – ''huizen'' is a kind of sturgeon, and ''blaas'' is a bladder, or German ''Hausenblase'', ...
. In its early history, the race was one of the British season's most valuable and prestigious all-aged races. It was initially contested over a mile, and it was extended to its current distance in 1902.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Princess of Wales's Stakes was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1978. It is now held on the opening day of Newmarket's three-day July Festival meeting.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
* Lance Chest – ''1912, 1913''
* Primera – ''1959, 1960''
* Lomond – ''1965, 1966''
*
Millenary – ''2002, 2003''
*
Big Orange – ''2015, 2016''
Leading
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
(8 wins):
*
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
– ''Zucchero (1952), Primera (1959, 1960), Apostle (1961), Lord Helpus (1977), Pollerton (1978), Light Cavalry (1981), Head for Heights (1984)''
Leading
trainer (9 wins):
*
Sir Michael Stoute – ''Shardari (1986), Rock Hopper (1991), Saddlers' Hall (1992), Little Rock (2000), Gamut (2005), Papal Bull (2007), Doctor Fremantle (2009), Crystal Capella (2011), Fiorente (2012)''
Winners since 1967
Earlier winners
* 1894:
Isinglass
Isinglass ( ) is a form of collagen obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish. The English word origin is from the obsolete Dutch ''huizenblaas'' – ''huizen'' is a kind of sturgeon, and ''blaas'' is a bladder, or German ''Hausenblase'', ...
* 1895: Le Var
* 1896:
St Frusquin
* 1897: Velasquez
* 1898: Goletta
* 1899:
Flying Fox
''Pteropus'' (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names.
They live in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Aust ...
* 1900: Merry Gal
* 1901: Epsom Lad
* 1902: Veles
* 1903:
Ard Patrick
* 1904:
Rock Sand
* 1905: St Denis
* 1906: Dinneford
* 1907:
Polymelus
* 1908: Queen's Advocate
* 1909:
Dark Ronald
* 1910: Ulster King
* 1911:
Swynford
Swynford (January 1907 – 18 May 1928) was a British Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Bred at the Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, 16th Lord Derby's stud in Lincolnshire, England he was sired by John O'Gaunt (horse), John O'Gaunt, a so ...
* 1912: Lance Chest
* 1913: Lance Chest
* 1914: The Curragh
* 1915: Rossendale
* 1916: Nassovian
* 1917: ''no race''
* 1918: Blink
* 1919: Buchan
* 1920: Attilius
* 1921: Orpheus
* 1922:
Blandford
Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census.
The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...
* 1923: Triumph
* 1924:
Salmon-Trout
* 1925:
Solario
* 1926: Tournesol
* 1927:
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
* 1928: Tourist
* 1929:
Fairway
* 1930: Press Gang
* 1931: Shell Transport / The Recorder *
* 1932: Jacopo
* 1933: Raymond
* 1934: Bright Bird
* 1935: Fairbairn
* 1936: Taj Akbar
* 1937:
Flares
A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala, bengalo in several European countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illuminatio ...
* 1938: Pound Foolish
* 1939:
Heliopolis
* 1940–44: ''no race''
* 1945: Stirling Castle
* 1946:
Airborne
* 1947: Nirgal
* 1948:
Alycidon
Alycidon (1945–1963) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was described as "one of the greatest stayers in history". In a career which lasted from the autumn of 1947 until September 1949 he ran seventeen times and won eleven races. He ...
* 1949: Dogger Bank
* 1950: Double Eclipse
* 1951: Pardal
* 1952: Zucchero
* 1953: Rawson
* 1954: Woodcut
* 1955: Cobetto
* 1956: Cash and Courage
* 1957: Wake Up!
* 1958: Miner's Lamp
* 1959: Primera
* 1960: Primera
* 1961: Apostle
* 1962: Silver Cloud
* 1963: Trafalgar
* 1964: Carrack
* 1965: Lomond
* 1966: Lomond
* The 1931 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.
See also
*
Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total di ...
*
List of British flat horse races
A list of notable Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse races which take place annually in Great Britain, under the authority of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), including all conditions races which currently hold Group One, Group 1, 2 or 3 ...
References
* Paris-Turf:
**, , , , ,
*
Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...
:
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** , , , , ,
galopp-sieger.de– ''Princess of Wales's Stakes.''
ifhaonline.org– ''International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Princess of Wales's Stakes (2019).''
pedigreequery.com– ''Princess of Wales's Stakes – Newmarket.''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Wales's Stakes
Flat races in Great Britain
Newmarket Racecourse
Open middle distance horse races
Horse races established in 1894