British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes
The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres) as part of British Champions Day at Ascot in October.
Group 1 race | |
Location | Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1946 |
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 fillies and mares |
Weight | 8 st 13 lb (3yo); 9 st 5 lb (4yo+) |
Purse | £500,000 (2021) 1st £283,550 |
2023 | ||
Poptronic | Bluestocking | Jackie Oh |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2022 | ||
Emily Upjohn | Thunder Kiss | Insinuendo |
2021 | ||
Eshaada | Albaflora | Snowfall |
2020-2011 | ||
---|---|---|
2020 | ||
Wonderful Tonight | Dame Malliot | Passion |
2019 | ||
Star Catcher | Delphinia | Sun Maiden |
2018 | ||
Magical | Coronet | Lah Ti Dar |
2017 | ||
Hydrangea | Bateel | Coronet |
2016 | ||
Journey | Speedy Boarding | Queen's Trust |
2015 | ||
Simple Verse | Journey | Beautiful Romance |
2014 | ||
Madame Chiang | Silk Sari | Chicquita |
2013 | ||
Seal Of Approval | Belle de Crecy | Talent |
2012 | ||
Sapphire | Shirocco Star | Dancing Rain |
2011 | ||
Dancing Rain | Bible Belt | Gertrude Bell |
2010-2001 | ||
---|---|---|
2010 | ||
Crystal Capella | Myplacelater | She's Our Mark |
2009 | ||
Ashalanda | Crystal Capella | Saphira's Fire |
2008 | ||
Crystal Capella | Unsung Heroine | Saphira's Fire |
2007 | ||
Trick Or Treat | Queen's Best | Samira Gold |
2006 | ||
Acts of Grace | Gower Song | Bunood |
2005 | ||
Ouija Board | Briolette | Asawer |
2004 | ||
Mazuna | My Renee | Hidden Hope |
2003 | ||
Itnab | Summitville | Chorist |
2002 | ||
Love Everlasting | Bright And Clear | Glam Rock |
2001 | ||
Head In The Clouds | Love Everlasting | Lilium |
2000-1991 | ||
---|---|---|
2000 | ||
Sacred Song | Littlepacepaddocks | Inaaq |
1999 | ||
Signorina Cattiva | New Abbey | Tipsy |
1998 | ||
Silver Rhapsody | Delilah | Bristol Channel |
1997 | ||
Delilah | Snow Princess | Saafeya |
1996 | ||
Time Allowed | Spout | Ninotchka |
1995 | ||
Labibeh | Saxon Maid | Spout |
1994 | ||
Dancing Bloom | Lille Hammer | Milly Ha Ha |
1992 | ||
Cunning | Anna Of Saxony | Anne Bonny |
1991 | ||
Always Friendly | Finance Dancer | Peplum |
1990-1988 | ||
---|---|---|
1990 | ||
Narwala | Applecross | Ahead |
1989 | ||
Snow Bride | Princess Sobieska | Lady Shipley |
1988 | ||
Banket | Upend | Casey |
History
The event was established in 1946 and was originally called the Princess Royal Stakes. It was named after the Princess Royal at that time, Princess Mary. For a period it took place in September,[1] and it later moved to October.
The current system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Princess Royal Stakes subsequently held Group 3 status.
The race was run at Newmarket in 2000, after being called off at Ascot due to a security alert.[2] It was switched to Ascot's late September fixture in 2004. It took place at Newmarket again in 2005, as its usual home was closed for redevelopment. It reverted to October in 2007.
The event was promoted to Group 2 level, transferred to Newmarket and renamed the Pride Stakes in 2008.[3] It was named after Pride, a recent winner of the Champion Stakes. From this point it was staged during the venue's Champions' Meeting in mid-October. The title "Princess Royal Stakes" was assigned to a different race at Ascot, an event previously called the Harvest Stakes. The Pride Stakes had a purse of £100,000 in 2010.[4]
The race returned to Ascot and was given its present name in 2011. Its prize fund was now £250,000. Part of the newly created British Champions Day, it became the final race in the fillies & mares division of the British Champions Series.
The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes was upgraded to Group 1 in 2013.[5] Its total prize money was doubled to £500,000. The title Pride Stakes was given to a Listed race at Newmarket formerly known as the Severals Stakes.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Shebeen – 1974, 1975
- Crystal Capella – 2008, 2010
Leading jockey (8 wins):
- Lester Piggott – Rose of Medina (1959), Green Opal (1960), Vhairi (1963), Bracey Bridge (1965), Bamboozle (1967), Mandera (1973), Karamita (1980), One Way Street (1984)
Leading trainer (9 wins):
- John Dunlop – Predicament (1966), Trillionaire (1978), Flighting (1981), Believer (1982), Banket (1988), Labibeh (1995), Signorina Cattiva (1999), Head in the Clouds (2001), Acts of Grace (2006)
Leading owner (4 wins):
- HH Aga Khan IV – Karamita (1980), Tashtiya (1986), Narwala (1990), Ashalanda (2009)
Winners since 1979
Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Alia | 3 | Steve Raymont | Jeremy Tree | Khalid Abdullah | |
1980 | Karamita | 3 | Lester Piggott | Michael Stoute | HH Aga Khan IV | |
1981 | Flighting | 3 | Brian Rouse | John Dunlop | Sandy Struthers | |
1982 | Believer | 3 | Brian Rouse | John Dunlop | Arthur Budgett | |
1983 | Sylph | 3 | Tony Ives | Jeremy Tree | Khalid Abdullah | |
1984 | One Way Street | 3 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | Louis Freedman | |
1985 | Free Guest | 4 | Rae Guest | Luca Cumani | Fittocks Stud | |
1986 | Tashtiya | 3 | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | HH Aga Khan IV | |
1987 | no race [lower-alpha 1] | |||||
1988 | Banket | 3 | Brian Rouse | John Dunlop | 3rd Earl of Halifax | 2:40.66 |
1989 | Snow Bride | 3 | Steve Cauthen | Henry Cecil | Saeed bin M. Al Maktoum | 2:30.73 |
1990 | Narwala | 3 | Pat Eddery | Luca Cumani | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:30.36 |
1991 | Always Friendly | 3 | Alan Munro | Henry Candy | Fahd Salman | 2:38.78 |
1992 | Cunning | 3 | Frankie Dettori | Luca Cumani | Fittocks Stud | 2:36.19 |
1993 | no race [lower-alpha 1] | |||||
1994 | Dancing Bloom | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | Lord Weinstock | 2:34.15 |
1995 | Labibeh | 3 | Willie Carson | John Dunlop | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:41.86 |
1996 | Time Allowed | 3 | John Reid | Michael Stoute | Robert Barnett | 2:33.44 |
1997 | Delilah | 3 | Olivier Peslier | Michael Stoute | Highclere Racing Ltd | 2:45.33 |
1998 | Silver Rhapsody | 3 | Kieren Fallon | Henry Cecil | Lordship Stud | 2:43.68 |
1999 | Signorina Cattiva | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John Dunlop | Maria Mai Goransson | 2:35.40 |
2000 | Sacred Song | 3 | Richard Quinn | Henry Cecil | Niarchos Family | 2:31.86 |
2001 | Head in the Clouds | 3 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | Neil Jones | 2:35.73 |
2002 | Love Everlasting | 4 | Kevin Darley | Mark Johnston | G. & L. Middlebrook | 2:33.55 |
2003 | Itnab | 3 | Richard Hills | Ben Hanbury | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:34.16 |
2004 | Mazuna | 3 | Ryan Moore | Clive Brittain | Saeed Manana | 2:30.24 |
2005 | Ouija Board | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Ed Dunlop | 19th Earl of Derby | 2:32.45 |
2006 | Acts of Grace | 3 | Kerrin McEvoy | John Dunlop | Prince A. A. Faisal | 2:35.64 |
2007 | Trick or Treat | 4 | Tom Queally | James Given | Onslow / Henderson | 2:36.93 |
2008 | Crystal Capella | 3 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | Sir Evelyn de Rothschild | 2:31.48 |
2009 | Ashalanda | 3 | Christophe Lemaire | Alain de Royer-Dupré | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:31.55 |
2010 | Crystal Capella | 5 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | Sir Evelyn de Rothschild | 2:34.73 |
2011 | Dancing Rain | 3 | Johnny Murtagh | William Haggas | Martin and Lee Taylor | 2:27.29 |
2012 | Sapphire | 4 | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | Moyglare Stud Farm | 2:37.32 |
2013 | Seal of Approval | 4 | George Baker | James Fanshawe | T R G Vestey | 2:39.09 |
2014 | Madame Chiang | 3 | Jim Crowley | David Simcock | Kirsten Rausing | 2:38.76 |
2015 | Simple Verse | 3 | Andrea Atzeni | Ralph Beckett | QRL / Al Thani / Al Kubaisi | 2:32.01 |
2016 | Journey | 4 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | George Strawbridge | 2:28.41 |
2017 | Hydrangea | 3 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | 2:40.82 |
2018 | Magical | 3 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | 2:33.28 |
2019[lower-alpha 2] | Star Catcher | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Anthony Oppenheimer | 2:28.48 |
2020 | Wonderful Tonight | 3 | William Buick | David Menuisier | Christopher Wright | 2:37.84 |
2021 | Eshaada | 3 | Jim Crowley | Roger Varian | Shadwell Estate | 2:34.05 |
2022 | Emily Upjohn | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John and Thady Gosden | Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance & S Roden | 2:33.76 |
2023[lower-alpha 2] | Poptronic | 4 | Sam James | Kevin Burke | David & Yvonne Blunt | 2:28.29 |
- The 1987 and 1993 runnings were abandoned because of a waterlogged course
- The 2019 and 2023 editions were held on Ascot's inner course over 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 133 yards
Earlier winners
- 1946: Mehmany
- 1947: Mombasa
- 1948: Angelola
- 1949: Jet Plane
- 1950: Divinalh
- 1951: Verse
- 1952: Nicky Nook
- 1953: Skye
- 1954: Dust Storm
- 1955: Nemora
- 1956: Carezza
- 1957: Nagaika
- 1958: Mother Goose
- 1959: Rose of Medina
- 1960: Green Opal[lower-alpha 1]
- 1961: Tenacity
- 1962: Romantica
- 1963: Vhairi[lower-alpha 1]
- 1964: French Possession
- 1965: Bracey Bridge
- 1966: Predicament
- 1967: Bamboozle
- 1968: no race
- 1969: Seventh Bride
- 1970: Heavenly Thought
- 1971: Hill Circus
- 1972: Attica Meli
- 1973: Mandera
- 1974: Shebeen
- 1975: Shebeen
- 1976: no race
- 1977: Aloft
- 1978: Trillionaire
- The 1960 and 1963 runnings took place at Newbury
See also
- Horseracing in Great Britain
- List of British flat horse races
- Recurring sporting events established in 1946 – this race is included under its original title, Princess Royal Stakes.
References
- "First Day at Ascot". Glasgow Herald. 26 September 1947. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- Armytage, Marcus (9 October 2000). "Lost Ascot races may be run elsewhere". Telegraph. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- "Britain's flat Pattern boosted by upgrades". British Horseracing Authority. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
- "2010 Pride Stakes". International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- "Eight races upgraded by European Pattern Committee". the-racehorse.com. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- galopp-sieger.de – Pride Stakes (ex Princess Royal Stakes).
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2018).
- pedigreequery.com – Princess Royal Stakes – Ascot.
- Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 205–206. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.