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The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes run at Royal Ascot on Wednesday had a huge prize money lift before coronavirus hit.
It was to be worth a million pounds but we will still see another quality finish. The 2020 Prince Of Wales's Stakes (2004m) at Royal Ascot is generally a great race.
2020 PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Prince Of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for four year olds and older at Royal Ascot conducted by the Ascot Racecourse.
The Prince Of Wales's Stakes is run over the mile and a quarter. It was first run in 1862 and was won by Carisbrook.
That Prince Of Wales's Stakes of 1862 was a year after the death of Prince Albert. The popular Prince Of Wales (later to become King Edward VII) had taken over many of the social duties previously carried out by his mother, Queen Victoria, who continued to remain in mourning for her husband.
The race was discontinued from 1940 to 1967. It obtained Group 1 status only in 2000.
The 2005 running took place at York.
Morny Cannon has six wins as leading rider while John Porter has the most wins as trainer with eight.
Three horses have won twice – Connaught, Mtoto and Muhtarram.
2011 was supposed to be the coronation of So You Think. The champion Australian middle distance star, off two Cox Plate wins, was bought by Coolmore to race in Europe and he had won the G1 Tatts Gold Cup at The Curragh before heading to Ascot so the form was pretty decent.
The race was run in a strange way as they worked through Swinley Bottom and So You Think did not have much luck. But just as he'd finally worked into a winning position as they turned with three furlongs to go, he was left a sitting shot and Rewilding for Godolphin nabbed him in the last 50m.
It was a great result for Mahmood Al Zarooni and the Godolphin team but sadly for Rewilding, the promising WFA horse and former placegetter in the Epsom Derby would meet his demise one run later. He was second favourite in a small field in the King George run at same venue five weeks later but smashed a leg turning for home and had to be put down. It was terrible end for a talented horse.
The right phrase then for 2012 was redemption. In the 150th Anniversary of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, perhaps it was ironic that a New Zealand bred, former Australian trained and Malaysian owned, now Irish based horse would win.
Despite some interesting assignments that the big horse was set such as the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup first up, his grass form was impeccable in Europe. As it would be, this was the last time we'd get to see the champ but his place was assured.
Happy to trail the leading pair, he was soon second just on straightening but Joseph O'Brien waited long enough and made the run for home. Turn of foot was the key as he held out the Queen's horse Carlton House and the unlucky Farhh for another great win. Off to Stud he went.
While the WFA stocks in Europe appeared well down in 2013, the contest was a top one. Al Kazeem had been in wonderful form this time in and continued it on when coming from three lengths back half way up the straight to score by a head on the line from the brave Mukhadram.
2014 saw The Fugue take the race for the mares but it wasn't the mare who was expected to win. Treve was odds on but didn't run well. For her famous owners, The Fugue closed into the straight and powered away.
The year after it was cagey Dermot Weld who had Free Eagle ready to go first up to win that important Group 1 for an entire.
2016 saw an upset as the outsider in a field of six, My Dream Boat, swept up the centre and ran by Found who would get a bigger prize later in the year.
An absolute crowd and stable favourite Highland Reel dropped back from his Coronation Cup win to score in the 2017 edition.
Another tough WFA warrior Poet's Word caused an upset beating the short fav Cracksman in 2018. It was Sir Michael Stoute again a year later as Crystal Ocean got his G1 win on a very wet surface in what would end up a high quality form reference.
The Prince Of Wales's Stakes was reduced to £250,000 in 2020 due to coronavirus.
Notable winners of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes include Crystal Ocean (2019), Poet's Word (2018), Highland Reel (2017), Free Eagle (2015), So You Think (2012), Vision D'Etat (2009), Duke Of Marmalade (2008), Ouija Board (2006), Azamour (2005), Rakti (2004), Grandera (2002), Fantastic Light (2001), Dubai Millennium (2000), Faithful Son (1988), Bosra Sham (1997), Muhtarram (1994/1995) Mtoto (1987/1988), Ela-Mana-Mou (1980), Brigadier Gerard (1972), Connaught (1969/1970) and Heliopolis (1939).
The 2019 Prince Of Wales's Stakes was won by Crystal Ocean from Magical and Waldgeist.
