King Charles given Royal Ascot race named after him as 75th birthday present

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The King and Queen at Royal Ascot where the King Charles III Stakes will be run next year (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The King and Queen at Royal Ascot where the King Charles III Stakes will be run next year (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The King has received a long lasting birthday present to mark his 75th birthday - a race named after him.

To mark the landmark occasion the King’s Stand Stakes, the Royal Ascot Group 1 5f sprint, has been renamed the King Charles III Stakes. The gesture will strengthen the monarch’s ties with the royal meeting which he attended in full for the first time as king in June.

Ascot racecourse, which is owned by the Crown, and the royal meeting was a not-to-be-missed occasion for his mother Queen Elizabeth II until she passed away in September 2022 after more than 70 years on the throne.

The King was believed to be less keen on horse racing but his enthusiasm has been rekindled since his coronation, helped by the Queen’s passion for horse racing.

At this year’s royal meeting the couple celebrated their first victory at the meeting when Desert Hero won the King George V Handicap.

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The colt won again at Glorious Goodwood and In September King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the St Leger at Doncaster together where Desert Hero finished third in the Classic.

Britain’s big race calendar is littered with races which recognise the sport’s connection to the royal family, especially at Royal Ascot.

In June the Diamond Jubilee Stakes was run for the first time as the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and next year’s meeting will now feature a race named after the present monarch on the opening day of the five day fixture.

Ascot’s director of racing Nick Smith said: "We decided to celebrate the King's reign with an appropriately high profile Group One at Royal Ascot.

"It was fantastic to see Their Majesties at Royal Ascot all week this year and their win the the King George V Handicap was one of the highlights of the racing year."

Jon Lees

Ascot racecourse, Horses, Royal Family, The Queen, Glorious Goodwood, Royal Ascot

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