Queen Alexandra Stakes – Royal Ascot Saturday

The Queen Alexandra Stakes is run tight-handed over two miles, five furlongs and 143 yards. It is for horses aged four and over and has specific weight information attached. At one time, it was the longest professional flat race run anywhere in the world, eventually being usurped by Australia’s Jericho Cup, which is run at the Warrnambool. It is named in honour of Alexandra of Denmark and was run for the first time in 1864, when it was known as the Alexandra Plate. It later got re-named to be the Alexandra Stakes and has born its current moniker since 1931.

There is something interesting about the Queen Alexandra Stakes, which is that it is, at the time of writing, scheduled to be the final race of the entire Royal Ascot meeting. As a result, some owners and trainers feel that their horses are sufficiently recovered from the Ascot Stakes, run on the first day of the meeting, to take part in this race. Several have won both races in the same year, with the most recent being Simenon in 2012. Though no longer the world’s longest flat race, it is the longest flat race in the United Kingdom, being run over 21 yards more than Pontefract’s Marathon Handicap.

Race Facts

Britain’s longest professional flat race, the Queen Alexandra Stakes is named in honour of Alexandra of Denmark. Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia, to give her her full name, was married to King-Emperor Edward VII and therefore Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions as well as the Empress of India from 1901 to 1910. Her family had actually been quite obscure until 1852, which was when her father was chosen to succeed as the King of Denmark. She was chosen as the future wife of the then-Prince of Wales at the age of 16.

That obviously proves her credentials to have a race named after her at Royal Ascot, given the level of some of the other people who have races named after them during the meeting. Originally run in 1864, in the past it has been contested over two miles, six furlongs and 34 yards, but was shortened in 2005 when Ascot was redeveloped and the track was realigned. The most successful horse in the race’s history is easily Brown Jack, who won it six times in a row between 1929 and 1934. Interestingly, the race’s most successful jockey never rode him during that time.

Ryan Moore enjoyed his first win in the race on Bergo in 2010, with another four following that up to Dawn Rising in 2023 to cement his place in the record books. Similarly, two trainers have notched up four wins apiece in the race without any of them being thanks to Brown Jack. Between winning with Grey of Falloden in 1965 and getting two wins back-to-back with Cuff Link in 1994 and 1995, Dick Hern might have the longest gap between first and last winners. Willie Mullins, meanwhile, got his first win in the race thanks to Simenon in 2012 and then also managed consecutive wins with Stratum in 2021 and 2022.

About The Race

The nature of the Queen Alexandra Stakes being the country’s longest flat race means that it often attracts talented jump racing horses, who tend to have a touch more stamina about them. That is why Willie Mullins’ name features on the list of the best trainers, given the fact that he is more commonly thought of as being a jump race trainer. Others like Gordon Elliott and Nicky Henderson have also seen their horses win the race over the years. The weight information that is in play for the horses running in this race is as follows:

• 4-year-olds: 9 stone 0 pounds
• 5-year-olds+: 9 stone 2 pounds
• Fillies & mares are given a 5 pound allowance
• Class 1 race winners receive a 5 pound penalty
• Class 2 race winners receive a 3 pound penalty
• The penalties exclude handicap races and are cumulative to a max of ten pounds

Between 2012 and 2023, the race took place 12 times and 11 of the winners were aged six or over. That is thanks to the increased stamina needed to be able to compete successfully in the race, with only three of those winners being the favourite. Interestingly, only one of those 12 winners won their last race before taking part in this event, but nine out of the 12 enjoyed a run out within the previous 57 days. In terms of their experience of Ascot, eight of the 12 winners had taken part in at least two races at the course before running in this one, with five of the 12 having won at the venue.

In terms of what came after this race for the horses that have enjoyed a victory in it, five of the 12 we’re looking at took part in the Goodwood Cup on their next run, but none of them even managed to place, let alone win it. Of the 12 horses in question, 11 of them took place in at least one other race before the season ended but none of them won a race and only two of them managed to place. That might have more to do with the fact that many of them will have been jump racing horses than flat racing ones, but it is worth bearing in mind nevertheless.

Race Trivia

We have obviously given you a fair bit of trivia about the event already, but there is more to tell you if you’re interested. One thing worth thinking about when it comes to your bets, for example, is the fact that eight out of the 12 horses that won the Queen Alexandra Stakes between 2012 and 2023 were trained by National Hunt trainers.

Here is some of the other fascinating stuff: