History
The event is named after Henry II, who founded a priory on the site of Sandown Park in the 12th century. It was established in 1963, and the inaugural running was won by Gaul.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Henry II Stakes held Group 3 status. It was promoted to Group 2 in 2002, and relegated back to Group 3 in 2012.
The leading horses from the Henry II Stakes often go on to compete in the following month's Gold Cup at Ascot. The last to win both in the same year was Papineau in 2004.
Read more about this topic: Henry II Stakes
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