Search

Type atleast three letters to find.

King's Stand Stakes

United Kingdom | FEATURE RACE GUIDE

History

BRADSELL winning the King's Stand Stakes at Ascot in England.
BRADSELL winning the King's Stand Stakes at Ascot in England. Picture: Tom Dulat/Getty Images

The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for sprinters at Royal Ascot conducted by the Ascot Racecourse.

The King's Stand Stakes is run over the straight five furlongs. Royal Ascot's short course sprint was first run in 1860 and won by Queen Of The Vale.

After some name changes and regradings it was put back in as the King's Stand Stakes and was once again a Group One in 2008.

Lester Piggott has most wins as a jockey with seven while Vincent O'Brien has the most wins as trainer with five.

12 horses have won it twice with the most recent being Blue Point in 2018/2019.

The 2005 running took place at York.

In 2005 it became part of the Global Sprint Challenge for races run around the world open to horses of all countries. Some famous winners that Australian breeding will recall include Godswalk, Last Tycoon, Bluebird, Piccolo and Pivotal.

However Australia's interest in the race probably really began in 2003 when the SARS virus stopped Newcastle colt Choisir running in the Krisflyer Sprint in Singapore.

So he diverted to England and was set for the two major sprints over the Royal meeting. Running in both is not that usual these days leave alone winning them.

Ridden by Johnny Murtagh and forced to carry the penalty for being a G1 winner, he was sent out 25-1 and showed tremendous pace early. He crossed to the stands rail and got many off the bit from the beginning.

Despite some of the main chances like Acclamation and Oasis Dream (who would conquer him in the July Cup at Newmarket) making late ground, he scored a famous win, surprising many including BBC commentator Willie Carson who couldn't believe it.

Four days later he would come from a wide gate and gradually work down to the stands rail again for Murtagh to hold off talented filly Airwave in the Golden Jubilee.

The Aussies struck again in 2006. Joe Janiak was a taxi driver from Queanbeyan who bought a Celtic Swing gelding from the sales for about $1,500.

Previously with John Morish, Takeover Target rushed through the grades, winning a Salinger, Lightning and Newmarket Hcp at G1 over an 18 month period before heading to England in fine form.

With regular rider Jay Ford up he sat just off the pace and was produced at the right time to just hold off Benbaun, creating mayhem at Ascot.

Only 12 months later Lee Freedman realized a dream when his wonder mare Miss Andretti hurtled up the middle of Ascot to score a devastating win. She was in as good a form as Takeover Target was leading into 2006 coming off three straight G1 wins.

Craig Newitt knew he was on the right horse but importantly she was drawn wide and the far side rail was the better place to come down.

She took off at the 500m and surged away to break the then course record as Dandy Man rattled down the near side.

Miss Andretti was an ex Western Australian mare but Scenic Blast was trained there full time. He was placed in a famous Caulfield Guineas to Weekend Hussler but after some issues came right at four.

He used the Lightning Stks and Newmarket Hcp as others before him did and was equally as impressive in them.

Being so good fresh this was set up for him and he dazzled under top rider Steve Arnold. Sitting worse than midfield, Arnold brought him widest and from the 600 to the 200 he made up possibly eight lengths to hit the front.

That mid race pace is something the European horses aren't used to as they traditionally like to 'stay on', hitting the line hard whereas Antipodean horses sprint hard to establish a lead and hang on.

We saw that to the fore again in 2022 as Australia won it for a fifth time when world champion sprinter Nature Strip dazzled in the warm summer skies. After the much touted American Golden Pal missed the jump, it was left to James McDonald to rate the Everest winner and then he bolted away by near 5L for Chris Waller.

2016 saw Profitable sit near the speed much of the way and continue his grand sprinting form that summer. It was a battle up the straight but he held on.

The flying American filly Lady Aurelia scored a brilliant three length win in 2017 and then Godolphin began a big year for them when Blue Point showed his love of Ascot to win drawing clear. He'd return an even better and well performed horse in 2019 to beat his rival Battaash once more.

After being runner up to Blue Point twice, Battaash got the job done as a 6yo in 2020. Then he was beaten as fav the year after by July Cup winner Oxted.

Bradsell scored an upset in 2023 over more highly fancied sprinters and then had to survive a protest as he drifted out late under Hollie Doyle.

The King's Stand Stakes was worth £627,500 in 2023.

Notable winners of the King's Stand Stakes include Nature Strip (2022), Oxted (2021), Battaash (2020), Blue Point (2018/2019), Lady Aurelia (2017), Sole Power (2013/2014), Little Bridge (2012), Equiano (2008/2010), Scenic Blast (2009), Miss Andretti (2007), Takeover Target (2006), Choisir (2003), Pivotal (1996), Piccolo (1995), Elbio (1991/1993), Bluebird (1987), Last Tycoon (1986), Godswalk (1977), Gold Bridge (1933/1934), Golden Boss (1923/1924), Diadem (1919/1920), Hornet's Beauty (1911/1913), Foresight (1908/1909), Sundridge (1903/1904), Kilcock (1898/1899) and Woolsthope (1895/1897).

The 2023 King's Stand Stakes was won by Bradsell from Highfield Princess and Annaf.


Racing and Sports

Previous King's Stand Stakes Winners

Date Horse Jockey WT Trainer BP
BRADSELL (GB) 3C
TASLEET (GB) - RUSSIAN PUNCH (GB) ARCHIPENKO (USA)
HOLLIE DOYLE 57.5 ARCHIE WATSON 7
NATURE STRIP (AUS) 7G
NICCONI (AUS) - STRIKELINE (AUS) DESERT SUN (GB)
JAMES MCDONALD 60.5 CHRIS WALLER 10
OXTED (GB) 5G
MAYSON (GB) - CHARLOTTE ROSINA (GB) CHOISIR (AUS)
CIEREN FALLON 59.5 ROGER TEAL 14
BATTAASH (IRE) 6G
DARK ANGEL (IRE) - ANNA LAW (IRE) LAWMAN (FR)
JIM CROWLEY 59.0 C HILLS 10
BLUE POINT (IRE) 5H
SHAMARDAL (USA) - SCARLETT ROSE (GB) ROYAL APPLAUSE (GB)
JAMES DOYLE 59.0 C APPLEBY 1
BLUE POINT (IRE) 4H
SHAMARDAL (USA) - SCARLETT ROSE (GB) ROYAL APPLAUSE (GB)
WILLIAM BUICK 59.0 C APPLEBY 10
LADY AURELIA (USA) 3F
SCAT DADDY (USA) - D' WILDCAT SPEED (USA) FOREST WILDCAT (USA)
JOHN R VELAZQUEZ 55.0 W A WARD 18
PROFITABLE (IRE) 4H
INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (IRE) - DANI RIDGE (IRE) INDIAN RIDGE (GB)
ADAM KIRBY 59.0 C G COX 8
GOLDREAM (GB) 6G
OASIS DREAM (GB) - CLIZIA (IRE) MACHIAVELLIAN (USA)
M HARLEY 59.0 ROBERT COWELL 3
SOLE POWER (GB) 7G
KYLLACHY (GB) - DEMERGER (USA) DISTANT VIEW (USA)
R HUGHES 59.0 EDWARD LYNAM 8
SOLE POWER (GB) 6G
KYLLACHY (GB) - DEMERGER (USA) DISTANT VIEW (USA)
J MURTAGH 59.0 EDWARD LYNAM 14
LITTLE BRIDGE (NZ) 5G
FALTAAT (USA) - GOLDEN ROSE (NZ) GOLD BROSE (AUS)
Z PURTON 59.0 C S SHUM 7
PROHIBIT (GB) 6G
OASIS DREAM (GB) - WELL WARNED (GB) WARNING (GB)
JIM CROWLEY 59.0 ROBERT COWELL 14
EQUIANO (FR) 5H
ACCLAMATION (GB) - ENTENTE CORDIALE (IRE) ELA MANA MOU (IRE)
MICHAEL HILLS 59.0 B W HILLS 2
SCENIC BLAST (AUS) 4G
SCENIC (IRE) - DAUGHTER'S CHARM (AUS) DELGADO (USA)
S W ARNOLD 59.0 D MORTON 15
EQUIANO (FR) 3C
ACCLAMATION (GB) - ENTENTE CORDIALE (IRE) ELA MANA MOU (IRE)
O PESLIER 56.0 M DELCHER-SANCHEZ 5
MISS ANDRETTI (AUS) 5M
IHTIRAM (IRE) - PEGGIE'S BID (AUS) MAROONED (GB)
C NEWITT 57.5 D L FREEDMAN 19
TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS) 6G
CELTIC SWING (GB) - SHADY STREAM (AUS) ARCHREGENT (CAN)
J FORD 60.5 J A JANIAK 17
CHINEUR (FR) 4H
FASLIYEV (USA) - WARDARA (GB) SHARPO (GB)
C P LEMAIRE 58.0 M DELZANGLES 8
THE TATLING (IRE) 7G
PERUGINO (USA) - AUNTY EILEEN (GB) AHONOORA (GB)
D HOLLAND 58.0 J M BRADLEY 5
CHOISIR (AUS) 3C
DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) - GREAT SELECTION (AUS) LUNCHTIME (GB)
J MURTAGH 60.5 PAUL PERRY 8
DOMINICA (GB) 3F
ALHAARTH (IRE) - DOMINIO (IRE) DOMINION (GB)
MARTIN DWYER 54.0 M P TREGONING 6
CASSANDRA GO (IRE) 5M
INDIAN RIDGE (IRE) -
M ROBERTS 56.5 G WRAGG 5
NUCLEAR DEBATE (USA) 5G
GEIGER COUNTER (USA) - I'M AN ISSUE (USA) COX'S RIDGE (USA)
G MOSSE 58.0 J E HAMMOND 22

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au