KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH DIAMOND STAKES FACTS

♦ Britain`s top middle-distance race for three-year-olds and older horses is a relatively new race, first run in 1951.


♦ It was initiated to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1851 Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace and the 1951 Festival of Britain. In the first year it was called the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Festival of Britain Stakes.


♦ That first running saw Supreme Court beat a field that included a winner of the French Derby and Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe (Tantieme), a Derby winner (Arctic Prince), a French Derby and St Leger winner (Scratch II), winners of the 1,000 Guineas (Belle of All) and 2,000 Guineas (Ki Ming) and Washington International Stakes (Wilwyn).


♦ Prize money in 1951 amounted to total stakes of �30,000, with �20,000 added including a piece of plate presented by Their Majesties and �5,000 by the Jockey Club.


♦ The 1951 winner received �25,322 and 10 shillings. The 2003 running carries �750,000 in total prize money.


♦ A course record was set in the first running when Supreme Court won in a time of 2m 29.4 seconds.


♦ In 1975 there was what is still remembered as the race of the last century, when Grundy beat Bustino by half a length in an epic encounter up the home straight. Grundy set a race record time of 2m 26.98 seconds, which still stands today.


♦ The Diamond Trading Company (formerly De Beers), the largest diamond company in the world, is sponsoring the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes for the 32nd year in 2003. Through its own mines in South Africa, and in partnership with the governments of Botswana and Namibia, the company produces about half of the world`s gem diamonds by value.


♦ The Minstrel in 1977 helped Irish-based Vincent O`Brien collect the British trainers` title despite his horses winning only 18 races.


♦ Similarly in 2001, Galileo`s victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes helped Aidan O`Brien to become the first Irish-based trainer to capture the British trainers` title since Vincent O`Brien, even though he only won 20 races.


♦ Lammtarra`s victory in 1995 was the middle leg of a rare treble. He had won the Derby and went on to take the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe in October on his only three starts that year. The last horse to win these three races was Mill Reef in 1971.


♦ French-trained horses have won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes nine times, including Dahlia who was joined by Swain in 1998 as the only horse to have won the race twice. Dahlia won in 1973 and 1974, while Swain took the contest in 1997 and 1998.


♦ Jockey Michael Kinane has a great record in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. The Irishman tasted success with Belmez (1990), King`s Theatre (1994), Montjeu (2000) and Galileo (2001). He also was second on Classic Cliche (1996) and Pilsudski (1997). His only other ride in the race saw him finish fourth in 1998 aboard Daylami. He partners Grandera for Godolphin.


♦ Other current jockeys to have won the contest more than once are Frankie Dettori, who triumphed on Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1998) and Daylami (1999). Pat Eddery has had two successes on Grundy (1975) and Dancing Brave (1986).


♦ The most successful jockey of all time in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes is Lester Piggott. The �Long Fellow` was victorious seven times on Meadow Court (1965), Aunt Edith (1966), Park Top (1969), Nijinsky (1970), Dahlia (1974), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1984).


♦ Major Dick Hern, who sadly died in 2002, was the most successful trainer of all time in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. He recorded five victories with Brigadier Gerard (1972), Troy (1979), Ela-Mana-Mou (1980), Petoski (1985) and Nashwan (1989).


♦ Among current trainers, the most successful is Godolphin`s Saeed bin Suroor. His four victories came with Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1997 & 1998) and Daylami (1999). Henry Cecil has trained three winners, Reference Point (1987), Belmez (1990) and King`s Theatre (1994), as has Sir Michael Stoute (Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993) and Golan (2002)), Geoff Wragg (Teenoso (1984) and Pentire (1996)) and Maurice Zilber (Dahlia (1973 & 1974)) each have two wins.


♦ The Queen has had one victory in the race named in honour of her parents when Aureole came home in front in 1954. Her French Oaks winner Highclere was second in 1974, chasing home another great filly in Dahlia.


♦ The 2001 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, the 51st renewal, saw Galileo become the first Epsom Derby (and three-year-old) winner to be successful in the Ascot contest since Lammtarra in 1995. Aidan O`Brien`s colt fought out a tremendous finish with Godolphin`s Fantastic Light, who was runner-up for the second successive season. Fantastic Light gained his revenge on Galileo when taking the Irish Champion Stakes in another thrilling finish, which helped him to go on and claim his second World Racing Series Championship.


♦ Besides Galileo and Lammtarra, other Epsom Derby heroes to have gone on to success at Ascot in the same season are Generous (1991), Nashwan (1989), Reference Point (1987), Shergar (1981), Troy (1979), The Minstrel (1977), Grundy (1975), Mill Reef (1971), Nijinsky (1970), Pinza (1953) and Tulyar (1952). Teenoso (1984) and Royal Palace (1968) were victorious at Ascot the year after winning at Epsom.


♦ Pawnese (1976) is the only Epsom Oaks winner to have gone on to win at Ascot in the same season. Time Charter (1983) was successful at Ascot the year after her success in the Oaks. Dahlia recorded the first of her wins in 1973 after winning the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.


♦ Last year`s winner Golan took the race on his seasonal debut.