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| The Windsor Castle Stakes |
New Race Named The Windsor
Castle Stakes
(09/02/2004)
Royal Ascot's new Group Two race has been named "The Windsor Castle
Stakes" and joins the Wednesday card.
The new race, restricted to older fillies and mares, is part of an industry-wide
initiative to create more incentives for connections to keep their fillies
in training after their classic year. Its inception follows the success
of such races as the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, a fairly recent
addition to America's greatest raceday and proof that there is a healthy
market for fillies only races at the highest level.
The Windsor Forest Stakes replaces the Balmoral Stakes, a five furlong
handicap.
“
It is a tremendous addition to the Royal Meeting to get this new race and
keeps us on an upwadrs curve as we've had two races promoted from Group
Two to Group One over the last couple of years," said Nick Cheyne,
Racing Director at Ascot.
"
We’re also delighted that the Windsor Castle is now a Listed race
and particularly pleased that the Coventry and Queen Mary Stakes have been
promoted to Group Two status. We now have six Group Ones and seven Group
Twos at Royal Ascot.
“
It is a measure of the value placed on the Coventry and Queen Mary that
those two races for two-year-olds have become Group Two events, when historically
early season juvenile contests have been restricted to Group Three level.
There’s no question that they are both often automatic targets for
the best of their generation at the time of year and are the early to mid-season
championships of their class."
The first race at Royal Ascot is 2.30pm with the Royal Procession starting
from the Golden Gates at 2pm every day. The confirmed running order for
the Royal Meeting can be viewed online on the Royal Ascot page, within
the Racing Calendar section.
