King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Group 1 race | |
Location | Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1951; 73 years ago (1951) |
Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
Sponsor | QIPCO |
Website | Ascot |
Race information | |
Distance | 1m 3f 211y (2,406 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Right-handed |
Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
Weight | 8 st 12 lb (3yo); 9 st 9 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares 4 lb for S. Hemisphere 4yo |
Purse | £1,250,000 (2022) 1st: £708,875 |
2023 | ||
Hukum | Westover | King Of Steel |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2022 | ||
Pyledriver | Torquator Tasso | Mishriff |
2021 | ||
Adayar | Mishriff | Love |
2020-2011 | ||
---|---|---|
2020 | ||
Enable | Sovereign | Japan |
2019 | ||
Enable | Crystal Ocean | Waldgeist |
2018 | ||
Poet's Word | Crystal Ocean | Coronet |
2017 | ||
Enable | Ulysses | Idaho |
2016 | ||
Highland Reel | Wings of Desire | Dartmouth |
2015 | ||
Postponed | Eagle Top | Romsdal |
2014 | ||
Taghrooda | Telescope | Mukhadram |
2013 | ||
Novellist | Trading Leather | Hillstar |
2012 | ||
Danedream | Nathaniel | St Nicholas Abbey |
2011 | ||
Nathaniel | Workforce | St Nicholas Abbey |
2010-2001 | ||
---|---|---|
2010 | ||
Harbinger | Cape Blanco | Youmzain |
2009 | ||
Conduit | Tartan Bearer | Ask |
2008 | ||
Duke Of Marmalade | Papal Bull | Youmzain |
2007 | ||
Dylan Thomas | Youmzain | Maraahel |
2006 | ||
Hurricane Run | Electrocutionist | Heart's Cry |
2005 | ||
Azamour | Norse Dancer | Bago |
2004 | ||
Doyen | Hard Buck | Sulamani |
2003 | ||
Alamshar | Sulamani | Kris Kin |
2002 | ||
Golan | Nayef | Zindabad |
2001 | ||
Galileo | Fantastic Light | Hightori |
2000-1991 | ||
---|---|---|
2000 | ||
Montjeu | Fantastic Light | Daliapour |
1999 | ||
Daylami | Nedawi | Fruits of Love |
1998 | ||
Swain | High-Rise | Royal Anthem |
1997 | ||
Swain | Pilsudski | Helissio |
1996 | ||
Pentire | Classic Cliche | Shaamit |
1995 | ||
Lammtarra | Pentire | Strategic Choice |
1994 | ||
King's Theatre | White Muzzle | Wagon Master |
1993 | ||
Opera House | White Muzzle | Commander In Chief |
1992 | ||
St Jovite | Saddlers' Hall | Opera House |
1991 | ||
Generous | Sanglamore | Rock Hopper |
1990-1981 | ||
---|---|---|
1990 | ||
Belmez | Old Vic | Assatis |
1989 | ||
Nashwan | Cacoethes | Top Class |
1988 | ||
Mtoto | Unfuwain | Tony Bin |
1987 | ||
Reference Point | Celestial Storm | Triptych |
1986 | ||
Dancing Brave | Shardari | Triptych |
1985 | ||
Petoski | Oh So Sharp | Rainbow Quest |
1984 | ||
Teenoso | Sadler's Wells | Tolomeo |
1983 | ||
Time Charter | Diamond Shoal | Sun Princess |
1982 | ||
Kalaglow | Assert | Glint of Gold |
1981 | ||
Shergar | Madam Gay | Fingal's Cave |
1980-1971 | ||
---|---|---|
1980 | ||
Ela-Mana-Mou | Mrs Penny | Gregorian |
1979 | ||
Troy | Gay Mecene | Ela-Mana-Mou |
1978 | ||
Ile de Bourbon | Acamas | Hawaiian Sound |
1977 | ||
The Minstrel | Orange Bay | Exceller |
1976 | ||
Pawneese | Bruni | Orange Bay |
1975 | ||
Grundy | Bustino | Dahlia |
1974 | ||
Dahlia | Highclere | Dankaro |
1973 | ||
Dahlia | Rheingold | Our Mirage |
1972 | ||
Brigadier Gerard | Parnell | Riverman |
1971 | ||
Mill Reef | Ortis | Acclimatization |
1970-1961 | ||
---|---|---|
1970 | ||
Nijinsky | Blakeney | Crepellana |
1969 | ||
Park Top | Crozier | Hogarth |
1968 | ||
Royal Palace | Felicio | Topyo |
1967 | ||
Busted | Salvo | Ribocco |
1966 | ||
Aunt Edith | Sodium | Prominer |
1965 | ||
Meadow Court | Soderini | Oncidium |
1964 | ||
Nasram | Santa Claus | Royal Avenue |
1963 | ||
Ragusa | Miralgo | Tarqogan |
1962 | ||
Match | Aurelius | Arctic Storm |
1961 | ||
Right Royal | St. Paddy | Rockavon |
1960-1951 | ||
---|---|---|
1960 | ||
Aggressor | Petite Etoile | Kythnos |
1959 | ||
Alcide | Gladness | Balbo |
1958 | ||
Ballymoss | Almeria | Doutelle |
1957 | ||
Montaval | Al Mabsoot | Tribord |
1956 | ||
Ribot | High Veldt | Todrai |
1955 | ||
Vimy | Acropolis | Elopement |
1954 | ||
Aureole | Vamos | Darius |
1953 | ||
Pinza | Aureole | Worden |
1952 | ||
Tulyar | Gay Time | Worden |
1951 | ||
Supreme Court | Zucchero | Tantieme |
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
It is Britain's most prestigious open-age flat race, and its roll of honour features some of the most highly acclaimed horses of the sport's recent history. The 1975 running, which involved a hard-fought battle to the finish between Grundy and Bustino, is frequently described as the "race of the century".[1] Many of its winners subsequently compete in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and a number go on to have a successful career at stud. The race is often informally referred to as the "King George".
History
The event was formed as the result of an amalgamation of two separate races at Ascot which were established in 1946 and 1948.[2] The first of these, named after King George VI, was a 2-mile contest for three-year-olds held in October. The second, in honour of his wife, Queen Elizabeth, was a one and a half-mile event staged in July. The idea was conceived by Major John Crocker Bulteel, the Clerk of the Course at Ascot, who wanted to create an important international race over one and a half miles for horses aged three or older. The inaugural running of the combined race took place on 21 July 1951. In its first year, to commemorate the Festival of Britain, it was titled the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Festival of Britain Stakes.
During the early part of its history the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes was not commercially sponsored. Its first period of sponsorship started in 1972, when it began a long association with the diamond company De Beers. The word "Diamond" was added to the race's title when permission for its inclusion was given by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975. It became known as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, and De Beers continued to back the event until 2006.
The online betting company Betfair started to sponsor the King George in 2009,[3] and its prize fund was increased from £750,000 to £1,000,000. It is now Britain's second richest horse race, with a purse exceeded only by that of The Derby.
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes became part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series in 2011. The winner now earns an automatic invitation to compete in the same year's Breeders' Cup Turf.[4]
Most successful horse (3 wins):
- Enable – 2017, 2019, 2020
Leading jockey (7 wins):
- Lester Piggott – Meadow Court (1965), Aunt Edith (1966), Park Top (1969), Nijinsky (1970), Dahlia (1974), The Minstrel (1977), Teenoso (1984)
- Frankie Dettori – Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1998), Daylami (1999), Doyen (2004), Enable (2017, 2019, 2020)
Leading trainer (6 wins):
- Sir Michael Stoute – Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993), Golan (2002), Conduit (2009), Harbinger (2010), Poet's Word (2018)
Leading owner (6 wins): (includes part ownership)
- Michael Tabor – Montjeu (2000), Galileo (2001), Hurricane Run (2006), Dylan Thomas (2007), Duke of Marmalade (2008), Highland Reel (2016)
Winners
- The time of the 1962 race was incorrectly given on the day of the race as 2 min. 32.02 and corrected to 2 min. 37.02 in October 1962.
- Since 2006 the race has been run over the same distance but over a reconstructed course in the final two furlongs
See also
- Horse racing in Great Britain
- List of British flat horse races
- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes top three finishers
References
- ^ Wood, Greg (27 July 2000). "Enduring greatness of Grundy v Bustino". The Independent. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
- ^ "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes". tbheritage.com. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
- ^ Armytage, Marcus (3 December 2008). "New sponsor announced for classic". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
- ^ "2011 Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule" (PDF). breederscup.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Montgomery, Sue (24 July 1994). "Theatre's dramatic effect". The Independent. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- Paris-Turf:
- "1978"., "1979"., "1980"., "1981"., "1982"., "1983"., "1984"., "1985"., "1986"., "1987".
- 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, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- galopp-sieger.de – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Race Detail (2018).
- pedigreequery.com – King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes – Ascot.
- tbheritage.com – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
- Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 122–123. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.
- Randall, John; Tony Morris (1985). Horse Racing: The Records. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 71–73. ISBN 0-85112-446-1.
- Race Recordings [1]
- v
- t
- e
- 1951 Supreme Court
- 1952 Tulyar
- 1953 Pinza
- 1954 Aureole
- 1955 Vimy
- 1956 Ribot
- 1957 Montaval
- 1958 Ballymoss
- 1959 Alcide
- 1960 Aggressor
- 1961 Right Royal
- 1962 Match
- 1963 Ragusa
- 1964 Nasram
- 1965 Meadow Court
- 1966 Aunt Edith ♥
- 1967 Busted
- 1968 Royal Palace
- 1969 Park Top ♥
- 1970 Nijinsky
- 1971 Mill Reef
- 1972 Brigadier Gerard
- 1973 Dahlia ♥
- 1974 Dahlia ♥
- 1975 Grundy
- 1976 Pawneese
- 1977 The Minstrel
- 1978 Ile de Bourbon
- 1979 Troy
- 1980 Ela-Mana-Mou
- 1981 Shergar
- 1982 Kalaglow
- 1983 Time Charter ♥
- 1984 Teenoso
- 1985 Petoski
- 1986 Dancing Brave
- 1987 Reference Point
- 1988 Mtoto
- 1989 Nashwan
- 1990 Belmez
- 1991 Generous
- 1992 St Jovite
- 1993 Opera House
- 1994 King's Theatre
- 1995 Lammtarra
- 1996 Pentire
- 1997 Swain
- 1998 Swain
- 1999 Daylami
- 2000 Montjeu
- 2001 Galileo
- 2002 Golan
- 2003 Alamshar
- 2004 Doyen
- 2005 Azamour
- 2006 Hurricane Run
- 2007 Dylan Thomas
- 2008 Duke of Marmalade
- 2009 Conduit
- 2010 Harbinger
- 2011 Nathaniel
- 2012 Danedream ♥
- 2013 Novellist
- 2014 Taghrooda ♥
- 2015 Postponed
- 2016 Highland Reel
- 2017 Enable ♥
- 2018 Poet's Word
- 2019 Enable ♥
- 2020 Enable ♥
- 2021 Adayar
- 2022 Pyledriver
- 2023 Hukum