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The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to Thoroughbred 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, who became the Princess of Wales in 1863. It was established in 1894, and the inaugural running was won by Isinglass. 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
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Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Lance Chest – 1912, 1913
- Primera – 1959, 1960
- Lomond – 1965, 1966
- Millenary – 2002, 2003
- Big Orange – 2015, 2016
Leading jockey (8 wins):
- Lester Piggott – 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)
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Winners since 1920
{| class = "sortable" | border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
|- bgcolor="#77dd77" align="center"
! Year
! Winner
! Age
! Jockey
! Trainer
! Time
|-
| 1920
| width=150px | Attilius
| 3
| width=160px | George Hulme
| width=170px | Richard Dawson
|
|-
| 1921
| Orpheus
| 4
| Hector Gray
| Felix Leach
| 2:30.40
|-
| 1922
| Blandford
| 3
| George Hulme
| Richard Dawson
| 2:31.80
|-
| 1923
| Triumph
| 4
| Joe Childs
| John Watson
| 2:32.60
|-
| 1924
| Salmon-Trout
| 3
| Vic Smyth
| Richard Dawson
| 2:36.40
|-
| 1925
| Solario
| 3
| Joe Childs
| Reg Day
| 2:35.00
|-
| 1926
| Tournesol
| 4
| Joe Childs
| Alec Taylor Jr.
| 2:38.00
|-
| 1927
| Colorado
| 4
| Tommy Weston
| Frank Butters
| 2:35.00
|-
| 1928
| Tourist
| 3
| Johnny Dines
| Reg Day
| 2:30.40
|-
| 1929
| Fairway
| 4
| Tommy Weston
| Frank Butters
| 2:34.00
|-
| 1930
| Press Gang
| 3
| Freddie Fox
| Fred Darling
|
|-
| 1931<br />(dh)
| Shell Transport<br />The Recorder
| 3<br />4
| Bobby Dick<br />Freddie Fox
| Joseph Lawson<br />Fred Darling
| 2:33.00
|-
| 1932
| Jacopo
| 4
| Joe Childs
| Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
| 2:31.80
|-
| 1933
| Raymond
| 3
| Sir Gordon Richards
| Joseph Lawson
| 2:33.40
|-
| 1934
| Bright Bird
| 3
| Freddie Fox
| Joseph Lawson
| 2:34.60
|-
| 1935
| Fairbairn
| 3
| Sir Gordon Richards
| Victor Gilpin
| 2:32.00
|-
| 1936
| Taj Akbar
| 3
| Charlie Smirke
| Frank Butters
| 2:34.60
|-
| 1937
| Flares
| 4
| Bobby Jones
| Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
| 2:34.00
|-
| 1938
| Pound Foolish
| 3
| Sir Gordon Richards
| Joseph Lawson
| 2:31.60
|-
| 1939
| Heliopolis
| 3
| Richard Perryman
| Walter Earl
| 2:30.60
|-
|- bgcolor=#eeeeee
| 1940-44<td colspan="5">No Race</td>
|-
| 1945
| Stirling Castle
| 3
| Eph Smith
| Joseph Lawson
| 2:29.00
|-
| 1946
| Airborne
| 3
| Tommy Lowrey
| Richard Perryman
| 2:47.00
|-
| 1947
| Nirgal
| 4
| Charlie Elliott
| Dick Warden
|
|-
| 1948
| Alycidon
| 3
| Tommy Lowrey
| Walter Earl
| 2:34.60
|-
| 1949
| Dogger Bank
| 3
| Doug Smith
| Walter Earl
| 2:34.20
|-
| 1950
| Double Eclipse
| 3
| Harry Carr
| Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
| 2:36.80
|-
| 1951
| Pardal
| 4
| Rae Johnstone
| In France
| 2:35.60
|-
| 1952
| Zucchero
| 4
| Lester Piggott
| Bill Payne
| 2:36.00
|-
| 1953
| Rawson
| 4
| Ken Gethin
| Stanley Wootton
| 2:34.20
|-
| 1954
| Woodcut
| 3
| Eph Smith
| Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
| 2:35.33
|-
| 1955
| Cobetto
| 3
| Jean Massard
| Charles Semblat
| 2:31.50
|-
| 1956
| Cash And Courage
| 3
| Eph Smith
| Sam Hall
| 2:31.20
|-
| 1957
| Wake Up!
| 3
| Doug Smith
| John F Watts
| 2:35.78
|-
| 1958
| Miner's Lamp
| 3
| Harry Carr
| Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
| 2:39.91
|-
| 1959
| Primera
| 5
| Lester Piggott
| Noel Murless
| 2:37.76
|-
| 1960
| Primera
| 6
| Lester Piggott
| Noel Murless
| 2:42.50
|-
| 1961
| Apostle
| 4
| Lester Piggott
| Staff Ingham
| 2:55.80
|-
| 1962
| Silver Cloud
| 3
| Eph Smith
| Jack Jarvis
| 2:34.08
|-
| 1963
| Trafalgar
| 3
| Scobie Breasley
| Sir Gordon Richards
| 2:44.88
|-
| 1964
| Carrack
| 3
| Des Cullen
| John Oxley
| 2:31.57
|-
| 1965
| Lomond
| 5
| Eric Eldin
| Ryan Jarvis
| 2:39.20
|-
| 1966
| Lomond
| 6
| Eric Eldin
| Ryan Jarvis
| 2:34.33
|-
| 1967
| Hopeful Venture
| 3
| George Moore
| Noel Murless
| 2:34.55
|-
| 1968
| Mount Athos
| 3
| Ron Hutchinson
| John Dunlop
| 2:32.10
|-
| 1969
| Harmony Hall
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Gordon Smyth
| 2:47.00
|-
| 1970
| Prince Consort
| 4
| Sandy Barclay
| Noel Murless
| 2:36.18
|-
| 1971
| Lupe
| 4
| Geoff Lewis
| Noel Murless
| 2:42.84
|-
| 1972
| Falkland
| 4
| Greville Starkey
| Henry Cecil
| 2:33.26
|-
| 1973
| Our Mirage
| 4
| Frankie Durr
| Barry Hills
| 2:34.32
|-
| 1974
| Buoy
| 4
| Joe Mercer
| Dick Hern
| 2:31.10
|-
| 1975
| Libra's Rib
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Fulke Johnson Houghton
| 2:30.83
|-
| 1976
| Smuggler
| 4
| Ernie Johnson
| Dick Hern
| 2:34.16
|-
| 1977
| Lord Helpus
| 4
| Lester Piggott
| Barry Hills
| 2:33.01
|-
| 1978
| Pollerton
| 4
| Lester Piggott
| Harry Thomson Jones
| 2:37.20
|-
| 1979
| Milford
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Dick Hern
| 2:30.36
|-
| 1980
| Nicholas Bill
| 5
| Philip Waldron
| Henry Candy
| 2:37.01
|-
| 1981
| Light Cavalry
| 4
| Lester Piggott
| Henry Cecil
| 2:32.11
|-
| 1982
| Height of Fashion
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Dick Hern
| 2:29.31
|-
| 1983
| Quilted
| 3
| Billy Newnes
| Mick O'Toole
| 2:32.75
|-
| 1984
| Head for Heights
| 3
| Lester Piggott
| Dick Hern
| 2:34.64
|-
| 1985
| Petoski
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Dick Hern
| 2:31.02
|-
| 1986
| Shardari
| 4
| Walter Swinburn
| Michael Stoute
| 2:31.25
|-
| 1987
| Celestial Storm
| 4
| Ray Cochrane
| Luca Cumani
| 2:28.68
|-
| 1988
| Unfuwain
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Dick Hern
| 2:31.83
|-
| 1989
| Carroll House
| 4
| Walter Swinburn
| Michael Jarvis
| 2:33.23
|-
| 1990
| Sapience
| 4
| Pat Eddery
| Jimmy FitzGerald
| 2:34.96
|-
| 1991
| Rock Hopper
| 4
| Pat Eddery
| Michael Stoute
| 2:33.47
|-
| 1992
| Saddlers' Hall
| 4
| Pat Eddery
| Michael Stoute
| 2:31.01
|-
| 1993
| Desert Team
| 3
| Willie Carson
| Jim Bolger
| 2:26.70
|-
| 1994
| Wagon Master
| 4
| Richard Hills
| Alec Stewart
| 2:27.53
|-
| 1995
| Beauchamp Hero
| 5
| John Reid
| John Dunlop
| 2:28.83
|-
| 1996
| Posidonas
| 4
| Richard Quinn
| Paul Cole
| 2:28.92
|-
| 1997
| Shantou
| 4
| Frankie Dettori
| John Gosden
| 2:29.16
|-
| 1998
| Fruits of Love
| 3
| Michael Hills
| Mark Johnston
| 2:28.76
|-
| 1999
| Craigsteel
| 4
| Kieren Fallon
| Henry Cecil
| 2:25.29
|-
| 2000
| Little Rock
| 4
| Pat Eddery
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:33.30
|-
| 2001
| Mutamam
| 6
| Richard Hills
| Alec Stewart
| 2:28.82
|-
| 2002
| Millenary
| 5
| Pat Eddery
| John Dunlop
| 2:32.22
|-
| 2003
| Millenary
| 6
| Pat Eddery
| John Dunlop
| 2:27.60
|-
| 2004
| Bandari
| 5
| Richard Hills
| Mark Johnston
| 2:32.90
|-
| 2005
| Gamut
| 6
| Kieren Fallon
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:29.98
|-
| 2006
| Soapy Danger
| 3
| Kevin Darley
| Mark Johnston
| 2:32.82
|-
| 2007
| Papal Bull
| 4
| Ryan Moore
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:28.73
|-
| 2008
| Lucarno
| 4
| Jimmy Fortune
| John Gosden
| 2:33.37
|-
| 2009
| Doctor Fremantle
| 4
| Ryan Moore
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:30.70
|-
| 2010
| Sans Frontieres
| 4
| Tom Queally
| Jeremy Noseda
| 2:30.34
|-
| 2011
| Crystal Capella
| 6
| Ryan Moore
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:31.57
|-
| 2012
| Fiorente
| 4
| Ryan Moore
| Sir Michael Stoute
| 2:33.76
|-
| 2013
| Universal
| 4
| Joe Fanning
| Mark Johnston
| 2:28.45
|-
| 2014
| Cavalryman
| 8
| Silvestre de Sousa
| Saeed bin Suroor
| 2:37.04
|-
| 2015
| Big Orange
| 4
| Jamie Spencer
| Michael Bell
| 2:29.00
|-
| 2016
| Big Orange
| 5
| James McDonald
| Michael Bell
| 2:29.93
|-
| 2017
| Hawkbill
| 4
| James Doyle
| Charlie Appleby
| 2:31.00
|-
| 2018
| Best Solution
| 4
| Pat Cosgrave
| Saeed bin Suroor
| 2:31.40
|-
| 2019
| Communique
| 4
| Silvestre de Sousa
| Mark Johnston
| 2:28.63
|-
| 2020
| Dame Malliot
| 4
| Hollie Doyle
| Ed Vaughan
| 2:34.40
|-
| 2021
| Sir Ron Priestley
| 5
| Franny Norton
| Mark Johnston
| 2:29.15
|-
| 2022
| Yibir
| 4
| William Buick
| Charlie Appleby
| 2:28.91
|-
| 2023
| Israr
| 4
| Jim Crowley
| John and Thady Gosden
| 2:27.33
|-
| 2024
| Giavellotto
| 5
| Oisin Murphy
| Marco Botti
| 2:31.20
|-
| 2025
| El Cordobes
| 4
| William Buick
| Charlie Appleby
| 2:32.36
|}
Earlier winners
- 1894: Isinglass
- 1895: Le Var
- 1896: St Frusquin
- 1897: Velasquez
- 1898: Goletta
- 1899: Flying Fox
- 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
- 1912: Lance Chest
- 1913: Lance Chest
- 1914: The Curragh
- 1915: Rossendale
- 1916: Nassovian
- 1917: no race
- 1918: Blink
- 1919: Buchan
See also
- Horse racing in Great Britain
- List of British flat horse races
References
- Paris-Turf:
- , , , , ,
- Racing Post:
- , , , , , , , , ,
- , , , , , , , , ,
- , , , , , , , , ,
- , , , , , ,
- 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.