National Stakes (Sandown Park)

The National Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years old. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 5 furlongs and 10 yards (1,015 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year at the end of May.

National Stakes
Listed race
LocationSandown Park
Esher, England
Inaugurated1889
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
SponsorMatchbook
WebsiteSandown Park
Race information
Distance5f 10y (1,110m)
SurfaceTurf
TrackStraight
QualificationTwo-year-olds
Weight9 st 3 lb
Allowances
5 lb for fillies
Penalties
5 lb for Group race winners
3 lb for Listed winners
Purse£17,215 (2020)
1st: £10,360
National Stakes
2020
Ubettabelieveit Wings Of A Dove Mcmanaman

The race was first run in 1889 and was known as the National Breeders' Produce Stakes until 1959. In 1932 it was "the most valuable two-year-old race on the English calendar".[1]

Previous winners include Pretty Polly (1903), Cicero (1904), Neil Gow (1909), The Tetrarch (1913), Tetratema (1919), Tiffin (1928), Myrobella (1932), Tudor Minstrel (1946) and Belle of All (1950).

Winners since 1975
Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time
1975 Super Cavalier Paul Cook Gavin Hunter
1976 Piney Ridge Lester Piggott Mick Kauntze
1977 Noiritza Pat Eddery Mick O'Toole
1978 Schweppeshire Lad Greville Starkey Michael Stoute
1979 Rollahead Joe Mercer Jeremy Hindley
1980 Penmarric Greville Starkey Gavin Hunter
1981 no race
1982 Krayyan Greville Starkey Gavin Hunter
1983 Precocious Lester Piggott Henry Cecil
1984 Primo Dominie John Reid Brian Swift
1985 Moonlight Lady Pat Eddery Paul Kelleway 1:04.37
1986 Risk Me Pat Eddery Paul Kelleway 1:02.75
1987 Tricky Note Michael Hills William Haggas 1:01.18
1988 Superpower Tony Ives Bill O'Gorman 1:03.22
1989 Princess Taufan Ray Cochrane Dr Jon Scargill 1:00.47
1990 Balwa Willie Carson Alex Scott 1:02.15
1991 Marling Gary Carter Geoff Wragg 1:01.59
1992 Lyric Fantasy Michael Roberts Richard Hannon Sr. 0:59.62
1993 Redoubtable Richard Quinn Richard Hannon Sr. 1:00.95
1994 Signs Pat Eddery Richard Hannon Sr. 1:03.14
1995 Amaretto Bay Mick Kinane Brian Meehan 1:03.54
1996 Deadly Dudley Mick Kinane Richard Hannon Sr. 1:01.83
1997 Pool Music Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:00.72
1998 Bint Allayl Frankie Dettori Mick Channon 1:02.36
1999 Rowaasi Frankie Dettori Mick Channon 0:59.95
2000 Taras Emperor Jimmy Fortune John Quinn 1:05.89
2001 Shiny Philip Robinson Clive Brittain 1:02.72
2002 Presto Vento Dane O'Neill Richard Hannon Sr. 1:02.00
2003 Russian Valour Kevin Darley Mark Johnston 1:00.65
2004 Polly Perkins Kevin Darley Nick Littmoden 1:01.65
2005 Salut d'Amour Kieren Fallon Jeremy Noseda 1:02.33
2006 Excellent Art Frankie Dettori Neville Callaghan 1:06.49
2007 Sweepstake Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:02.72
2008 Icesolator Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:04.89
2009 Monsieur Chevalier Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:00.83
2010 Dinkum Diamond Dane O'Neill Henry Candy 1:01.88
2011 Pyman's Theory Richard Kingscote Tom Dascombe 1:02.55
2012 Sir Prancealot Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:01.85
2013 Rizeena Ryan Moore Clive Brittain 1:03.57
2014 Tiggy Wiggy Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Jr. 1:03.92
2015 King Of Rooks Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Jr. 1:01.30
2016 Global Applause Ryan Moore Ed Dunlop 1:01.17
2017 Havana Grey P. J. McDonald Karl Burke 0:59.93
2018 Vintage Brut David Allan Tim Easterby 1:02.50
2019 Flippa The Strippa Silvestre de Sousa Charles Hills 1:00.85
2020 Ubettabelieveit Oisin Murphy Nigel Tinkler 1:01.65

Earlier winners
  • 1889: Rathbeal
  • 1890: Tittle Tattle
  • 1891: Lady Caroline
  • 1892: Tibble Shiels
  • 1893: Delphos
  • 1894: Saintly
  • 1895: Elmsworth
  • 1896: Chelandry
  • 1900: Star Shoot / Ian[lower-alpha 1]
  • 1901: Game Chick
  • 1902: Rabelais
  • 1903: Pretty Polly
  • 1904: Cicero
  • 1905: Sarcelle
  • 1906: Traquair
  • 1907: White Eagle
  • 1908: Bayardo
  • 1909: Neil Gow
  • 1910: Celllni
  • 1911: Mountain Mint
  • 1912: Prue
  • 1913: The Tetrarch
  • 1914: Redfern
  • 1915–18: no race
  • 1919: Tetratema
  • 1920: Polly Flinders
  • 1921: Polyhistor
  • 1922: Town Guard
  • 1923: Mumtaz Mahal
  • 1924: Garden of Allah
  • 1925: Kate Coventry
  • 1926: Priscilla
  • 1927: Flamingo
  • 1928: Tiffin
  • 1929: Queen of the Nore
  • 1930: Thyestes
  • 1931: Orwell
  • 1932: Myrobella
  • 1933: Colombo
  • 1934: Bahram
  • 1955: Wyndham
  • 1956: Full Sail
  • 1937: Portmarnock
  • 1938: Rogerstone Castle
  • 1939: Stardust
  • 1940–45: no race
  • 1946: Tudor Minstrel [lower-alpha 2]
  • 1947: The Cobbler
  • 1948: Abernant
  • 1949: Palestine
  • 1950: Belle of All
  • 1951: Constantia
  • 1952: Bebe Grande
  • 1953: Tudor Honey
  • 1954: Courageous
  • 1955: Rustam
  • 1956: Military Law
  • 1957: Promulgation
  • 1958: Captain Kidd
  • 1959: Sing Sing
  • 1960: Kerrabee
  • 1961: Display
  • 1962: Whistling Wind
  • 1963: Pourparler
  • 1964: Double Jump
  • 1965: Zahedan
  • 1966: Falcon
  • 1967: Sovereign
  • 1968: Tower Walk
  • 1969: Quarryknowe
  • 1970: Trasi Girl
  • 1971: Stilvi
  • 1972: Hunters Path
  • 1973: Daring Boy [lower-alpha 3]
  • 1974: Streak
  1. The 1900 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners
  2. The 1946 race was run at Ascot
  3. The 1973 race was run at Kempton Park

1948 Race Abernant v Star King

Abernant was the a dominant sprinter who went on to achieve champion status in 1949 and 1950. As a two-year-old in 1948 he was top of the Free Handicap. Abernant was only once on the stretch and that was in a fantastic race for the National Breeders Produce Stakes at Sandown on July 17th. His main opponent was Star King. The 1948 edition of The Bloodstock Breeders Review provided the following wonderful account written by James Park of the race.

"Star King had won three races in runaway fashion. He had not been engaged at Ascot... Star King's jockey Sam Wragg after a gallop said "Abernant may be a good one, but he will have to hop along". I should say there was something more than quiet confidence behind Star King. Each had earned the maximum penalty and were meeting at level weights.

When the tapes went up off went Star King. Abernant followed at an interval of perhaps three lengths. The others dribbled out of the gate, so that by the time half a furlong had been covered there were many lengths between Star King and the hindmost member of the party. The uphill course at Sandown is not one on which waiting tactics can be employed successfully. So I was rather surprised when Gordon Richards (Abernant's jockey) pretty well sat on Star King's tail without making any attempt to join issue. The leader was slipping along while still on the bit. Gordon, on Abernant, had what is known as a double handful. It was after covering three furlongs that Gordon set Abernant alight. He soon went past Star King and it looked all over bar the shouting. But drama was to follow. Star King had never even been shown the whip in previous races. It had not been necessary. It electrified him to such an extent he suddenly became jet propelled. By that time Abernant had gained probably a length lead. Quick to sense the situation, out came Gordon's whip. The response was not quite the same. Instead of gaining further ground, Abernant began to edge over to the right. Star King kept a perfectly true line. Up he crept, and 100 yards from the winning post he was still gaining. It was anybody's race as they went past the post, with Star King definitely going the stronger. The judge promptly ruled that Abernant had retained sufficient of his lead to win by the shortest of short heads. (There was no photo finish at Sandown at the time) James Park went on to write I am old enough to know better than to argue with the judge. He is the one person in a position to give an opinion. Sam Wragg thought he had won and he was not the only one.

Mr Wilfred Harvey, the owner of Star King, took it well. "I hope they can meet again over 6 furlongs" he said. They did not do so. The controversy raged throughout the season, and no doubt continued during the winter. There was the usual inquest. Noel Murless ... told me that in home gallops Abernant had been ridden from behind, and had always produced a brilliant burst of speed in the last 100 yards or so. That was why it was decided to adopt similar tactics at Sandown.[2]

In the Free Handicap at the end of the year Abernant was allocated 9st 7lb and Star King was second on the list at 9st 5lb. Timeform, in its first Annual that rated all horses, gave Abernant 133 and Star King 131 rating. [3]

See also

References
  1. "AS GOOD AS TIFFIN?". Evening Post. 27 August 1932. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
  2. The Bloodstock Breeders Review 1948
  3. Timeform Annual 1948
  • Ruff's Guide to the Turf 1987. Macdonald Queen Anne Press. 1987. p. 232-3.
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