Coronation Stakes

The Group 1 Coronation Stakes is the feature race for three-year-old fillies over a mile at Royal Ascot.

It is the automatic choice for fillies that ran in the English, Irish or French 1000 Guineas (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches) and often establishes the best filly in Europe.

Notable past winners include Sonic Lady (1986), Ridgewood Pearl (1995), Russian Rhythm (2003), Winter (2017) and Alpha Centauri (2018).

Find out more about the Coronation Stakes:

Coronation Stakes

The Race – The Coronation Stakes

The Coronation Stakes currently takes place on day 4 of Royal Ascot in June. It is run over a mile on the round course and always attracts a strong field, compiled largely of winners and placed horses from the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Curragh. The Guineas form is no certainty to be upheld at this stage of the summer. Fillies that were slow to come to hand in the spring can often overturn the Guineas form at Ascot.

Famous Coronation Stakes Winners & History

The Coronation Stakes was first run in 1840 and named to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. The inaugural race was won by Spangle while 1874 winner Apology went on to complete the fillies’ Triple Crown of 1000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger. That feat was achieved for the fifth time in history by 1904 Coronation Stakes winner Pretty Polly.

The race was originally rated a Group 2 contest in 1971 and was promoted to Group 1 status in 1988. The roll of honour for the Coronation Stakes is littered with Classic winners. Newmarket 1000 Guineas form is not always confirmed here but Russian Rhythm (2003), Attraction (2004), Ghanaati (2009) and Winter (2017) were able to complete the big race double.

Attraction also won the Irish 1000 Guineas in between for Mark Johnston and Kevin Darley, becoming the first filly to win both Guineas. She won ten of her fifteen races, including the Sun Chariot Stakes (2004) and Matron Stakes (2005).

Ghanaati was a shock 20-1 winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket for veteran trainer Barry Hills. She had only a maiden win at Kempton Park to her credit before taking in the first Classic. Her winning time was a race record and she confirmed that she was a filly of the highest order by beating the winners of the Irish and French Guineas in the Coronation Stakes.

French raiders have also been successful here in the past, most recently with Ervedya (2015), Qemah (2016) and Watch Me (2019). Ervedya was the last filly to win the French Guineas and take the Coronation Stakes, owned by His Highness The Aga Khan.

Key Coronation Stakes Trials

As previously stated, the Coronation Stakes is all about Classic form with fillies that ran in the English 1000 Guineas, Irish 1000 Guineas or Poule d’Essai des Pouliches dominating proceedings. These three races account for nine of the last twelve winners between them. The Newmarket race just has the edge overall with ten of the past twenty winners having come from that contest.

Coronation Stakes Betting Trends

There have been eight winning favourites or joint-favourites of the Coronation Stakes in the last twenty years. Two of them were odds-on with Russian Rhythm returning at 4-7 and Winter at 4-9. Attraction was a popular 6-4 favourite with Alpha Centauri (11-4), Ghanaati (2-1) and Lillie Langtry (7-2) also clear market leaders.

Shock results are rare in Group 1 races but Watch Me sprang a 20-1 surprise in 2019. She had finished an unlucky sixth in the French Guineas on her previous start but proved too strong for English and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa.

Coronation Stakes 2023 Odds

Here are the latest odds for the Coronation Stakes in June 2023:

These odds have not yet been released.

Check out all of today’s betting odds for Ascot Races.

Coronation Stakes Tips

Here are some tips for Coronation Stakes in June 2023:

  • 2 points to win for TBC
  • 1 point each way for TBC

A few horses taking part in the Coronation Stakes will also race in other competitions throughout the year. Keep a close eye on the horses to watch how they do then place your ante-post bets.

For all Ascot events, our best horse racing tipsters offer free racing tips!

For more tips on races at Ascot, take a look at our guide.

Coronation Stakes Previous Winners

Take a look at the previous winners from the Coronation Stakes:

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1951Belle of AllGordon RichardsNorman BertieHenry Thanet Tufton
1952ZabaraKen GethinVic SmythSir Malcolm McAlpine
1953Happy LaughterBill RickabyJack JarvisDavis Wills
1954FestoonJoe MercerNoel CannonJohn Arthur Dewar
1955MeldHarry CarrCecil Boyd-RochfortLady Zia Wernher
1956MidgetRae JohnstoneAlec HeadPierre Wertheimer
1957ToroJ MassardAlec HeadAly Khan
1958St LuciaGeoff LewisPeter Hastings-BassLord Sefton
1959RosalbaJoe MercerR J CollingJakie Astor
1960BarbaresqueGeorge MooreW CloutW Guest
1961Aiming HighLester PiggottNoel MurlessElizabeth II
1962DisplayGarnie BougourePaddy PrendergastMrs B Granard
1963FijiGreville StarkeyJohn OxleyLady Halifax
1964OceanGreville StarkeyJohn OxleyDick Hollingsworth
1965GreengageScobie BreasleyGordon RichardsR F Watson
1966HaymakingJoe MercerFulke Johnson HoughtonC Nicholson
1967FleetGeorge MooreNoel MurlessR. C. Boucher
1968SovereignRon HutchinsonHarry WraggR B "Budgie" Moller
1969LucyroweDuncan KeithPeter WalwynLouis Freedman
1970Humble DutyDuncan KeithPeter WalwynJean, Lady Ashcombe
1971Magic FluteGeoff LewisNoel MurlessLord Howard de Walden
1972CalveEdward HidePaddy PrendergastLord Granard
1973JacinthJohn GortonBruce HobbsLady Butt
1974LisadellLester PiggottVincent O'BrienJ Mulcahy
1975RoussalkaLester PiggottHenry CecilN Phillips
1976Kesar QueenYves Saint-MartinScobie BreasleyRavi Tikkoo
1977OrchestrationPat EdderyA J MaxwellV McCalmont
1978Sutton PlaceWally SwinburnDermot WeldMrs T Donahue
1979One In A MillionJoe MercerHenry CecilHelena Springfield Ltd
1980Cairn RougeTony MurrayMichael CunninghamD. Brady1:45.40
1981TolmiEdward HideBruce HobbsGeorge Cambanis1:41.30
1982ChalonLester PiggottHenry CecilMichael Riordan1:42.60
1983Flame of TaraDeclan GillespieJim BolgerPatricia O'Kelly1:42.20
1984KatiesPhilip RobinsonMick RyanTerry Ramsden1:40.79
1985Al BahathriTony MurrayHarry Thomson JonesHamdan Al Maktoum1:40.03
1986Sonic LadyWalter SwinburnMichael StouteSheikh Mohammed1:41.70
1987MilligramWalter SwinburnMichael StouteHelena Springfield Ltd1:44.68
1988Magic of LifePat EdderyJeremy TreeStavros Niarchos1:40.70
1989Golden OpinionCash AsmussenAndré FabreSheikh Mohammed1:39.60
1990Chimes of FreedomSteve CauthenHenry CecilStavros Niarchos1:41.29
1991KooyongaWarren O'ConnorMichael KauntzeMitsuo Haga1:42.54
1992MarlingWalter SwinburnGeoff WraggSir Edmund Loder1:39.01
1993Gold SplashGérald MosséCriquette HeadJacques Wertheimer1:47.68
1994Kissing CousinMichael KinaneHenry CecilSheikh Mohammed1:39.96
1995Ridgewood PearlJohnny MurtaghJohn OxxAnne Coughlan1:38.58
1996Shake The YokeOlivier PeslierÉlie LelloucheSerge Brunswick1:40.45
1997Rebecca SharpMichael HillsGeoff WraggAnthony Oppenheimer1:42.04
1998ExclusiveWalter SwinburnSir Michael StouteCheveley Park Stud1:43.98
1999BalisadaMichael RobertsGeoff WraggAnthony Oppenheimer1:41.43
2000CrimplenePhilip RobinsonClive BrittainMarwan Al Maktoum1:41.55
2001Banks HillOlivier PeslierAndré FabreKhalid Abdullah1:39.61
2002SophisticatMichael KinaneAidan O'BrienTabor / Magnier1:41.59
2003Russian RhythmKieren FallonSir Michael StouteCheveley Park Stud1:38.51
2004AttractionKevin DarleyMark Johnston10th Duke of Roxburghe1:38.54
2005Maids Causeway [a]Michael HillsBarry HillsMartin S. Schwartz1:36.59
2006NanninaJimmy FortuneJohn GosdenCheveley Park Stud1:39.14
2007Indian InkRichard HughesRichard Hannon Sr.Raymond Tooth1:42.26
2008Lush LashesKevin ManningJim BolgerJackie Bolger1:39.23
2009GhanaatiRichard HillsBarry HillsHamdan Al Maktoum1:38.32
2010Lillie LangtryJohnny MurtaghAidan O'BrienTabor / Smith / Magnier1:39.69
2011Immortal VerseGérald MosséRobert ColletRichard C. Strauss1:42.75
2012Fallen For YouWilliam BuickJohn GosdenNormandie Stud1:42.95
2013Sky LanternRichard HughesRichard Hannon Sr.B Keswick1:39.75
2014RizeenaRyan MooreClive BrittainRashid Dalmook Al Maktoum1:40.73
2015ErvedyaChristophe SoumillonJean-Claude RougetAga Khan IV1:38.46
2016QemahGrégory BenoistJean-Claude RougetAl Shaqab Racing1:40.56
2017WinterRyan MooreAidan O'BrienTabor / Smith / Magnier1:39.39
2018Alpha CentauriColm O'DonoghueJessica HarringtonNiarchos Family1:35.89
2019Watch MePierre-Charles BoudotFrancis-Henri GraffardAlexander Tamagni1:39.61
2020Alpine StarFrankie DettoriJessica HarringtonNiarchos Family1:42.21
2021Alcohol FreeOisin MurphyAndrew BaldingJeff Smith1:43.13
2022InspiralFrankie DettoriJohn & Thady GosdenCheveley Park Stud1:39.20
2023TahiyraChris HayesDermot WeldAga Khan IV1:41.69

Coronation Stakes Previous Result

Check out this result from the Ascot Racecourse Track:

Check out more Ascot Racing Results if you enjoyed this one!

Coronation Stakes Stats

The Coronation Stakes is usually won by a top class filly with a previous win at Group 1 or Group 2 level. Fifteen of the last twenty winners fit into this category. A similar number had raced at least once previously that season and all had won over at least seven furlongs. One slightly surprising stat is that almost half of the last twenty winners had been unplaced on their previous start. This illustrates the point that the Classic form is not always to be taken at face value.

Top Trainers and Jockeys

John Porter still holds the record for most Coronation Stakes wins with six between 1883 and 1898. This is one more than the late Sir Henry Cecil who trained his fifth and final winner in this race with Kissing Cousin in 1994. Sir Michael Stoute has four victories but the most recent was Russian Rhythm in 2003. Aidan O’Brien has not managed to farm this race quite as successfully as he has some of the other Royal Ascot prizes. He has won it three times to date with Sophisticat (2002), Lillie Langtry (2010) and Winter (2017).

Similarly, there has not been an outstanding jockey in the Coronation Stakes in modern times. Frankie Dettori chalked another Royal Ascot race off his bucket list when winning on Alpine Star in 2020, Ryan Moore has won it twice on Clive Brittain’s Rizeena (2014) and Aidan O’Brien’s Winter (2017).

Betting on the Coronation Stakes

The ante-post betting on the Coronation Stakes begins to take shape immediately after the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Horses who finish in the frame there are either aimed at the Epsom Oaks over a mile and a half or stay at a mile for this prestigious event. The Irish 1000 Guineas is equally significant and this is always a competitive race.

The winner of the Coronation Stakes is usually aimed at one of the Falmouth Stakes (Newmarket), the Prix Du Haras or the Prix Rothschild (both at Deauville). Lillie Langtry, Sky Lantern and Rizeena were all beaten in the Falmouth before Alpha Centauri’s victory in 2018. Winter was stepped up in trip for her next start, winning the Nassau Stakes over ten furlongs at Goodwood in 2017.

Summary of the Coronation Stakes

The Coronation Stakes is the fillies’ equivalent of the St James’s Palace Stakes (colts), featuring the best of the Classic generation over a mile.

There are often some hard luck stories in the Classics with Alcohol Free (2021) the most recent filly to turn the form around at Ascot.

The Coronation Stakes takes place on the same day as the following races listed below:

Popular Questions

What distance is the Coronation Stakes?

The Coronation Stakes has a total distance of 7 furlongs and 213 yards.

Where is the Coronation Stakes held?

The Coronation Stakes is held at Ascot Racecourse.

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