Royal Ascot Rename Group One Race in Memory of Her Late Majesty

Royal Ascot Group One race, the Platinum Jubilee Stakes to be renamed “The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes”

Ascot racecourse has announced Group One race, the Platinum Jubilee Stakes will be renamed “The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes” In memory of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The feature race takes place on the final day of Royal Ascot each year (this year 24^th June).

The race is one of the most prestigious sprint races in the world, and it often attracts the best sprinters from around the globe. Some of the most successful horses to have won the race include Abernant, Right Boy, and Lester Piggott’s famous mount, Royal Ascot.

Sir Francis Brooke Bt. His Majesty’s Representative at Ascot said: 

The Late Queen’s close association with Ascot Racecourse was well known throughout the world, but no race at the Royal Meeting previously carried the name of Queen Elizabeth II.

His Majesty The King has approved the renaming of the Platinum Jubilee Stakes to The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. This will both honour Her Late Majesty in perpetuity and maintain the connection with the three Jubilees celebrated since the inception of the race as the Golden Jubilee Stakes in 2002.”

It’s not the first time the official name of the race has been changed. The race was first run in 1868 as the “All-Aged Stakes,” and it was renamed the “Golden Jubilee Stakes” in 2002 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. In 2021, it was then renamed the “Platinum Jubilee Stakes” to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, who identified the land as being ideal for horseracing when riding out from Windsor Castle. The first four-day meeting at Ascot took place in 1768 and at some point in time, the race programme started being referred to as Royal Ascot.

The two tracks, Flat and Jumps, now provide racing all year round and Ascot hosts 26 days of racing each year, including the five days of Royal Ascot. It is Europe’s premier Flat racing meeting, featuring eight Group 1 races and 19 Group races in total. Typically, 300,000 racegoers attend across the five days while the event is broadcast in more than 200 territories with a reach of 650 million households.

As well as world-class racing, Ascot Racecourse is also used as a film and TV filming location and as a venue for conferences, banquets, exhibitions, product launches and weddings, with 300 non-racing events annually. The land on which Ascot Racecourse sits is leased from the Crown Estate, adjacent to Windsor Great Park, covering 179 acres.

For more information please visit the Ascot website.