Royal Stakes
| Group 3 race | |
| Location |
Sandown Park Esher, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1953 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Bet365 |
| Website | Sandown Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1m 2f 7y (2,018 m) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | 9 st 1 lb Allowances 3 lb for fillies Penalties 4 lb for Group 1 or Group 2 winners * * since 31 August last year |
| Purse | £65,000 (2017) 1st: £36,862 |
The Sandown Classic Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres) at Sandown Park in late April.
The event was established in 1953, and it was originally called the Royal Stakes. The first running was won by Mountain King.
Ladbrokes became the sponsor of the race in 1971, and from this point it was known as the Ladbroke Classic Trial. It took place at Kempton Park in 1973.
Subsequent sponsors have included The Guardian, Thresher and Betfred. The online gambling company Bet365 took over the sponsorship in 2008.
The Sandown Classic Trial is staged during a two-day meeting which features both flat and jump races. Other events at the meeting include the Bet365 Gold Cup, the Celebration Chase, the Gordon Richards Stakes and the Sandown Mile.
The race can serve as a trial for the Epsom Derby. The last participant to win the Derby was Benny the Dip, the runner-up in 1997.
Leading jockey (5 wins):
Leading trainer (8 wins):
a Chabal finished first in 2010, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.
* The 1973 running took place at Kempton Park.
...
Wikipedia