Five great Lockinge Stakes winners
We’re taking a look at five great Lockinge Stakes winners ahead of this year’s Group One feature at Newbury on Saturday.
The one-mile contest was awarded elite-level status in 1995 and became part of the British Champions Series in 2011.
However, the list of famous names to lift this trophy stretches all the way back to the inaugural running in 1958.
Pall Mall 1958 & 1959
Owned and bred by Queen Elizabeth II, this flashy chestnut with a white blaze and three white socks sprang a 20/1 surprise in the 2000 Guineas before following up in the first renewal of this race, which at that time was open to three-year-olds. Pall Mall was an odds-on favourite when securing a convincing victory at Newbury and returned 12 months later to prevail again at the Berkshire track for royal trainer Cecil Boyd-Rochfort and jockey Harry Carr.
Brigadier Gerard 1972
Dick Hern’s all-time great won 17 of his 18 races, with his only defeat coming against the mighty Roberto. Having finished his three-year-old campaign with a perfect record of 10 straight wins, including beating Mill Reef in arguably the greatest ever 2000 Guineas, Brigadier Gerard graced Newbury on his return to action at four the next season and duly obliged by two-and-a-half lengths from Grey Mirage.
BRIGADIER GERARD (QUEEN'S HUSSAR) #BrigadierGerard 18 starts 17 wins 1 second. 1972 horse of the year. Stood at Egerton Stud and East Woodhay stud. Sired 29 sw. pic.twitter.com/NZV6K6wgHi
— HORSE RACING 100 (@HORSERACING1002) April 30, 2023
Kris 1980
Henry Cecil’s colt bounced back from a narrow defeat in the 2000 Guineas to dominate the major one-mile races in 1979, claiming Group One victories in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, as well as a couple of Group Two events. Kris began his four-year-old campaign with a warm-up win at Haydock before overcoming trouble in running to justify being a 4/9 favourite for the Lockinge, surviving a stewards’ inquiry after he burst through late on to set a new course record.
Frankel 2012
The striking son of Galileo had already achieved superstar status following an all-conquering three-year-old season which featured four Group One triumphs, including his spectacular 2,000 Guineas success. There was an injury scare prior to his reappearance at four, but Frankel soon eased any fears with another facile Newbury victory, tracking pacemaker Bullet Train before hitting the front two furlongs out and powering five lengths clear of race-fit rival Excelebration, who went to win two Group One contests himself that year.
❤ Frankel ❤
He began his final season in 2012 with this exhibition in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at @NewburyRacing and would end his dazzling career unbeaten in 14 races.
📺 Watch Saturday's renewal live on Racing TV #RacingTVFlashback pic.twitter.com/qfMl6zFGom
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 15, 2023
Baaeed 2022
Palace Pier deserves an honourable mention for his smooth 2021 success, but the brilliant Baaeed was breathtaking when brushing aside a decent field featuring Real World, Mother Earth and Alcohol Free for the seventh of his 10 straight victories. When Jim Crowley loomed up to the leaders at the furlong pole and then pressed the button, the response was immediate and his mount romped home by just over three lengths. “He is everything you want in a racehorse,” said the jockey. “Nothing seems to faze him. He doesn’t appear to have any weaknesses.”
Baaeed in full flight… simply iconic 🔥
Throwback to his @newburyracing Al Shaqab Lockinge win 🚀 pic.twitter.com/qFFkDMCH4F
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) May 14, 2023
