Events / Malcolm Pannett / 25 September 2009 /

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is one of the finest mile contests of the year. First run in 1955 it provides another opportunity for Guineas-winners to add to their tally and has also proved to be a stepping stone to the Champion Stakes. Malcolm Pannett looks at some of the previous winners.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, also known as the QEII, is run in honour of the present monarch who came to the throne in 1952. The inaugural race, which replaced the Knights Royal Stakes in the programme, was won by the Aga Khan's French-trained Hafiz II (1955) who went on to land the Champion Stakes, over a quarter of a mile further, a few weeks later.

The Gordon Richards-ridden Reform (1967) also completed the QEII/Champion Stakes double as did the only dual winners of the QEII namely Brigadier Gerard (1971 and 1972) and Rose Bowl (1975 and 1976). The Brigadier won the Champion Stakes both times while Rose Bowl's 1975 win came at the expense of Arc-winners Allez France and Star Appeal. Rakti (2004) won the Champion Stakes the year before his QEII win.

Brigadier Gerard had also won the 2000 Guineas and has been followed by Known Fact (1980); To-Agori-Mou (1981); Shadeed (1985) and George Washington (2006) (pictured above) who all added the QEII to their Classic victory.

Hill Rise beat Silly Season in the 1966 race having previously been a top performer in America. The son of Hillary had previously been a wide-margin winner of the 1964 Santa Anita Derby and second to the great Northern Dancer in the same year's Kentucky Derby.

The QEII was initially awarded Group 2 status when the Pattern was introduced in 1971 and was subsequently upgraded to Group 1 in 1987 the year Helena Springfield Limited's Milligram reversed placing with her 1000 Guineas-conqueror Miesque.

In 1995 Willie Carson on Bahri utilised the wide route from Swinley Bottom to the home turn when beating Ridgewood Pearl. The ground on the outside is protected by trees which stop the rain getting through and therefore it can ride faster than on the inner. Carson often refers to the Bahri Route during his BBC broadcasts.

Frankie Dettotri's win on Gerald Leigh's Markofdistinction (1990) helped to establish his reputation while six year's later his win on Mark Of Esteem (1996) launched him into the stratosphere.

The son of Darshaan beat Bosra Sham to land the third leg of Dettori's Magnificent Seven where he rode all seven winners on the very competitive card that includes three other Pattern races and an ultra competitive handicap. For the record the other winners were Wall Street (G3 Cumberland Lodge), Diffident (G2 Diadem Stakes), Decorated Hero (Festival Handicap), Fatefully (Listed), Lochangel (Class B Conditions Stakes) and Fujiyama Crest (Class C Handicap).

The 2005 race, won by the Luca Cumani-trained Starcraft, was run at Newmarket while Ascot was being redeveloped.

25 Year Ago - A win for the best gelding of the era as Teleprompter held off 1000 Guineas-winner Katies. There was drama at the start as favourite Chief Singer, after bolting to the start, lost all chance when dwelling in the stalls. Conversely Teleprompter was quickly into his stride and still led turning for home. Katies looked a big danger however Teleprompter rallied winning, the then Group 2-contest, by a neck with the previous year's-winner Sackford six lengths back in third. The victory was an apt memorial to Teleprompter's sire, former winner Welsh Pageant (1970), who had been put down earlier in the year after sustaining a shoulder injury. Teleprompter, who as a gelding was not permitted to run in Group 1 events, went on to win the Arlington Million and then was second in the next two QEIIs behind Shaded and Sure Blade (1986).

10 years ago - Dubai Millennium cruised to victory easily accounted for Almushtarak at odds of 4/9. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained son of Seeking The Gold had six lengths to spare at the line with a further three-and-a-half to Gold Academy with 20 back to the last of the four-strong field Balisada. The apple of Sheikh Mohammed's eye, who had met trouble in running in Oath's Derby when sent off favourite, then went to Dubai winning two races the second of which was the culmination of the plan as Dubai Millennium spectacularly won the turn of the millennium running of the Dubai World Cup. He returned to Ascot to win the Prince Of Wales's Stakes finishing off with a record of nine wins from 10 races.

Five years ago - Michael Jarvis' Rakti took his career wins total into double figures just lasting home to beat Lucky Story. Taken to the lead at the two pole the quirky tank-like son of Polish Precedent soon built up a comfortable three-length cushion. However it took all of Philip Robinson's urgings to get him home as Lucky Story, under Darryll Holland, ate in to the advantage all the way to the line only failing by half-a-length with a further gap of two-and-a-half to Refuse To Bend. Rakti took his tally to 11 in the following season's Lockinge.

Last Year - The second leg of a high profile hat-trick for Raven's Pass. John Gosden's charge finally beat Henrythenavigator keeping on well to prevail by a length with four-and-a-half back to third-placed Sabana Perdida. The son of Elusive Quality repeated the dose in the Breeders' Cup Classic as the pair recorded a famous European one-two.

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