Group 1 race | |
Location | Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1851 (as Queen's Plate) |
Race type | Thoroughbred |
Sponsor | Longines (2023) |
Race information | |
Distance | 2,000 metres |
Surface | Turf |
Qualification | Three year old and older |
Weight | weight-for-age |
Purse | $4,000,000 (2023) |
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, formerly known as the Queen's Plate, AJC Plate, and AJC King's Cup, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, in the autumn during the ATC Championships series. [1] Prize money in 2013 was A$500,000 and was increased to A$4,000,000 in 2014 to become the richest race of the Sydney Autumn Carnival and as of 2020 the third richest WFA race in Australia (after the W. S. Cox Plate and the Everest). [2]
The origins of this race are firmly associated with colonial Sydney and the growth of thoroughbred racing in the colony during the 1840s and 1850s. The Australian Jockey Club initiated an autumn race meet which coincided with the Easter holiday period and created several races which exist even today. One of these races was the Queen's Plate in honour of Queen Victoria which was first run in 1851 over a distance of about 3 miles.
Through the early 20th century the race continued to hold its prestige, but with the decline in long distance racing, the AJC focused on the Sydney Cup as the premier long distance event of the AJC Autumn Carnival. [3] By the mid 1950s the race had changed its name and had its distance shortened. [1] Distance was changed several times until today's distance of 2000 metres in 1986. [1]
The ATC focused on the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as it became the A$4,000,000 signature event of a new Sydney autumn racing series called "The Championships", attracting international entries. [2]
In February 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia [7] and the Australian Jockey Club consequently named a new race in her honour. [8] She was present at Randwick on 6 February 1954 and witnessed 33/1 long shot Blue Ocean win the race with a track record of 2 minutes 27+3⁄4 seconds for the 1+1⁄2 miles race. [7] [9]
On the last day of the 1954 AJC Autumn Carnival was the last-named race for the AJC Plate, as Lancaster won the Weight for Age 2-mile race. [10] The next year, on the last day of 1955 AJC Autumn Carnival held on 16 April 1955, the fourth race on the card was the Queen Elizabeth Randwick Stakes over a distance of 1+3⁄4 miles. [11]
Only Carbine (1889–91), Trafalgar (1909, 1911–12), David (1921–23) and Tulloch (1958, 1960–61) have won the race 3 times. Winx (10-1 on/1-10) as heavy favourite won the race for a third successive time on 13 April 2019.
The 19th century horse trainer Etienne L. de Mestre won the race 9 times, in 1862, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1876, 1878 and 1879. [12]
The Champagne Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 horse race for two-year-old Thoroughbreds at set weights run at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia over a distance of 1,600 metres during the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Prize money is A$1,000,000.
The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup. Total prize money is A$3,000,000.
The Golden Slipper Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses run over 1,200 metres on turf at set weights conditions, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. It is the premier two year old race in Australia and is the world's richest race for two-year-old Thoroughbreds. Prize money is A$5,000,000.
The Metropolitan is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October. The total prize money for this race is A$750,000.
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H E Tancred Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run over 2,400 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The prize money for the event is A$1,500,000.
The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the Cantala Stakes, is a Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Total prize money is A$3,000,000
The Inglis Sires', registered as the Sires Produce Stakes, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds at Set Weights run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April during the ATC Championships Carnival. The prize money is $1,000,000.
The All Aged Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred Weight for Age horse race, run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April or May during the ATC Autumn Carnival. Prize money is A$1,500,000.
The Verry Elleegant Stakes, registered as the Chipping Norton Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run at weight for age, over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in February or March. Prizemoney is A$1,000,000.
The Winx Stakes, registered as the Warwick Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian Turf Club thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 1400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in August. Prize money is currently A$500,000.
The Queen of the Turf Stakes, raced as The Coolmore Legacy Stakes, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for age horse race for fillies and mares aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 metres at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney in the autumn during the ATC Championships series. It is run on the same day as the Sydney Cup. Total prizemoney is A$1,000,000.
The Wakeful Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights with penalties conditions, over 2,000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on Victoria Derby Day. Total prize money for the race is A$300,000.
The Turnbull Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, for horses four years old and older, run under set weights with penalties conditions over a distance of 2,000 metres. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in early October. Total prize money is A$750,000.
The Herbert Power Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under quality handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2400 metres. It is held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. Prizemoney is A$300,000.
The Lord Reims Stakes is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2600 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia in March. Total prizemoney is A$150,000.
The Ted Van Heemst Stakes is a Perth Racing Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2100 metres at Ascot Racecourse, Perth, Western Australia in December. Prizemoney is A$250,000.
The Q22, registered as the P.J. O'Shea Stakes is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2,200 metres at Doomben Racecourse, Brisbane, Australia during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. Total prizemoney is A$1,200,000.
The Colin Stephen Quality Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group 3 Thoroughbred open quality handicap horse race for horses three years old and older, over a distance of 2400 metres, held annually at Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, in September. Total prize money for the race is A$250,000.
The Gimcrack Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race, for two-year-old fillies, held with set weight conditions, over a distance of 1000 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in early October. Total prize money for the race is A$250,000.
The race dates back to 1851 when it was called the Queen's Plate. It was renamed in 1954 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Australia.
The race dates back to 1851 when it was called the Queen's Plate. It was renamed in 1954 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Australia.
It was decided to run off the dead heat after the last race... This was a splendid race, and only won by Dagworth by a short neck.