King’s Stand Stakes Tips, Offers and Odds

King’s Stand Stakes Preview: Betting Tips, Offers and Odds

Held over a flying five furlongs, the King’s Stand Stakes is one of the opening day highlights at Royal Ascot. If you are seeking the best odds, offers and betting tips, you have come to the right place.

Now one of the top 5f races anywhere in the world, this Group 1 contests for runners aged three years and over has been with us since 1860. A recent increase in prize money saw the pot boosted to £400,000.

King’s Stand Stakes Ante Post Tips and Betting Offers, 3:35 at Royal Ascot, 16 June 2020

We have another odds-on favourite in the King’s Stand Stakes in the form of the Charles Hills-trained Battaash, but at a price of just 8/11, we think there is better value elsewhere. Of course Battaash is a very good runner, and has come second in this race in each of the last two years. But with no wins from three appearances at Ascot, there are nagging doubts about his ability to perform here.

Instead we are going to opt for a longer odds each way bet on stablemate Equilateral, who is priced at odds of 12/1 and who looks like being very able to make the frame in this one. 

Previous Winners

  • 2019 – Blue Point – jockey James Doyle, trainer Charlie Appleby
  • 2018 – Blue Point – jockey William Buick, trainer Charlie Appleby
  • 2017 – Lady Aurelia – jockey John Valesquez, trainer Wesley Ward
  • 2016 – Profitable – jockey Adam Kirby, trainer Clive Cox
  • 2015 – Goldream – jockey Martin Harley, trainer Robert Cowell
  • 2014 – Sole Power – jockey Richard Hughes, trainer Edward Lynam
  • 2013 – Sole Power – jockey Johnny Murtagh, trainer Edward Lynam
  • 2012 – Little Bridge – jockey Zac Purton, trainer Danny Shum
  • 2011 – Prohibit – jockey Jim Crowley, trainer Robert Cowell
  • 2010 – Equiano – jockey Michael Hills, trainer Barry Hills
  • 2009 – Scenic Blast – jockey Steven Arnold, trainer Daniel Morton
  • 2008 – Equiano – jockey Olivier Peslier, trainer M.Delcher Sànchez
  • 2007 – Miss Andretti – jockey Craig Newitt, trainer Lee Freedman
  • 2006 – Takeover Target – jockey Jay Ford, trainer Joe Janiak

King’s Stand Stakes History

Far from being a carefully considered addition to the racing programme, the race which is now one of the most highly prized sprint contests of the season came about somewhat by accident. Back in 1860 torrential rain had rendered much of the course unraceable, casting doubt over the tracks ability to stage many of the scheduled races.

The 2 mile Royal Stand Plate certainly seemed in jeopardy, but rather than cancel the prestigious contest, they instead shortened the distance to 5f. The event was renamed the Queen’s Stand Plate and quickly established itself as one of the top sprint races of the season. With the departure of Queen Victoria and the coronation of King Edward VII, the race was given its current title in 1901.

The name which stands out in the early history of this race is that of Diadem. George Lambton’s filly had demonstrated her class at an early stage when taking the 1917 1000 Guineas and went on to prove every bit as good over shorter trips, winning both this race and the July Cup in 1919 and 1920. Ascot named a race in her honour in 1946, with the Diadem Stakes being run at the track until 2011.

Unlike Diadem, Abernant didn’t quite manage to win his Guineas in 1949, but in common with his predecessor he did go on to dominate the sprint division. Noel Murless’s speedball won two Nunthorpe Stakes and two July Cups in addition to this race in 1949. In the eyes of many, Abernant was unsurpassed amongst 20th Century sprinters.

Lochnager took this race, the Temple Stakes and the July Cup in 1976 for Mick Easterby. 18 years later his granddaughter Lochsong showed she had without doubt inherited the families speed gene. One of the most famous sprinting fillies of all time put together a string of blistering displays between 1992 and 1994, with her wins including this race, the Stewards’ Cup, Nunthorpe Stakes, Temple Stakes and the Prix de l’Abbaye twice.

1996 winner Pivotal and the 2003 Australian hero Choisir have both gone on to make a big impact at stud, being responsible for a multitude of classy performers between them. Choisir’s achievement of winning both this race and the Golden Jubilee in 2003 must go down as one of the greatest Royal Ascot feats in living memory.

11 horses have managed to win this race twice with the thrilling hold up performer Sole Power who won back to back editions in 2013 and 2014 amongst this number. None yet have managed to take the prize three times.

Vincent O’Brien picked up most of the big races in his remarkable training career and this race certainly didn’t pass him by. His record of five wins between the years of 1962 and 1987 remains unsurpassed.

It is doubtful whether any jockey will hit the consistent heights achieved by Lester Piggott here. His 116 career wins at the Royal meeting included a record seven victories in this contest.