The Kensington Palace Stakes was a new race introduced to Royal Ascot in 2021. It is a handicap over a mile and is confined to fillies and mares aged four years and upwards.
The Kensington Palace Stakes takes place on the 19th June 2024.
The inaugural running was won by Lola Showgirl, ridden by Laura Pearson. She became only the third lady jockey to ride a winner at Royal Ascot while Trainer David Loughnane saddled a one-two.
The first running of the Kensington Palace Stakes attracted a field of 18 and there was drama at the start when 7-1 chance Stunning Beauty was left in the stalls. It transpired that the blindfold was removed very late and the filly was deemed to have started, eventually being pulled up by Silvestre de Sousa.
Ed Walker’s Dreamloper was sent off the 4-1 favourite but she faded rapidly with a furlong to run. Laura Pearson had gone straight to the front on Lola Showgirl who fought off the challenge of stable companion Ffion to win by three-quarters of a length. The unlucky horse in the field looked to be Waliyak who was slowly away but ran on strongly to finish a neck away in third.
Lola Showgirl and Waliyak renewed rivalry in a listed race at Haydock in August with the placings being comprehensively reversed. Lola Showgirl was kept in training as a five-year-old where she made her breakthrough at Group 3 level in the seven-furlong Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield Park.
Waliyak would also win a Group 3 later in the season, beating Sweet Lady by a length at Chantilly in the Prix Bertrand de Tarragon. She then finished a close fourth in the Group 1 E.P.Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. Eighth-placed Lights On, a 5-1 chance at Royal Ascot, won the Grade 2 Bet365 Mile at Sandown on her first start of 2024 for Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore.
Key Kensington Palace Stakes Trials
Lola Showgirl had won her previous race in a seven-furlong handicap for amateur riders at York in May. Runner-up Ffion finished runner-up in her previous two starts, both at Haydock Park in heavy ground.
Punters latched on to the British EBF Fillies’ Handicap at Ascot in early May as the race to follow. Lights On had won that by a short-head from Dreamloper and these two started second favourite and favourite respectively. Although both were well beaten at Ascot, they each proved to be Group class fillies.
Kensington Palace Stakes Betting Trends
The SP of the first three home in the inaugural running was 12-1, 10-1 and 9-1. The favourite was well beaten in tenth place. It was encouraging to see the race attract such a large field with plenty of each-way betting opportunities.
The winner carried just 8st 2lbs and the runner-up 8st 7lbs. Third-placed Waliyak (9st 8lbs) fared best of the top weights. The winner was officially rated 81 in a class 2 handicap rated 0-105.
Kensington Palace Stakes – Top Trainers and Jockeys
David Loughnane saddled the first two finishers in the first running of this race. He will certainly be keen to target this race again in future.
Laura Pearson joined Gay Kelleway and Hollie Doyle in the history books when becoming the third female rider to win at Royal Ascot.
Betting on the Kensington Palace Stakes
The Kensington Palace Stakes is currently scheduled as the last race on Day 2 of Royal Ascot. It is impossible to read too much into the first race but it does look as though it is going to be well subscribed and provide another competitive handicap.
Plenty of opportunities for each-way betting and perhaps an opportunity for some of the smaller stables to enjoy some Royal Ascot glory.
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LiveScore Bet bonus code and sign-up offer is available to new sports betting punters on all of the races at Royal Ascot Festival
