History
The event is named in honour of Alexandra of Denmark, who became the Princess of Wales in 1863. It was established in 1894, and the inaugural running was won by Isinglass. In its early history, the race was one of the British season's most valuable and prestigious all-aged races. It was initially contested over a mile, and it was extended to its current distance in 1902.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Princess of Wales's Stakes was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1978. It is now held on the opening day of Newmarket's three-day July Festival meeting.
Read more about this topic: Princess Of Wales's Stakes
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