As stated on the Home page, I exclude race names involving the late Queen Elizabeth II, her mother – who was also Queen Elizabeth in the reign of George VI – and other current or recent royals. However, I can include the Queen Elizabeth Stakes that used to be run at Kempton’s first flat meeting of the year. It dates back to the second day of the track’s very first meeting, on 19 July 1878, and was presumably in honour of Elizabeth I, formerly known as Good Queen Bess. When not seeing off armadas or suitors she was interested in racing, such as there was in the 16th century, and races were put on for her amusement when she made her Royal Progresses around the country staying wherever there was suitably palatial accommodation.
For example, she visited Croydon several times, where the local bishop’s residence was acceptable, from 1559 onward. The first authenticated reference to her attending racing there was in 1585, but she may well have been earlier. She certainly hunted there and watched jousting tournaments.
During the 20th century any prestige attached to the Kempton race faded away and it became a common or garden six-furlong handicap for three-year-olds. Its final running was at the first spring meeting of 1996. Next year a race with the same conditions was called the Ruislip Handicap. Perhaps republicans were in charge there.