The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes has been known by various names, the Cork and Orrery Stakes, Golden Jubilee Stakes, Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Platinum Jubilee Stakes, since it was established, as the All-Aged Stakes, in 1868. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the race was renamed in honour of Her Majesty and to reflect its past heritage.
Between 1971 and 1997, the Cork and Orrery Stakes held Group 3 status, but was promoted to Group 2 status in 1998. Four years later, the newly-titled Golden Jubilee Stakes was promoted, again, to Group 1 status. Nowadays worth £1 million in prize money, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes has the distinction of being the concluding Group 1 contest at Royal Ascot, scheduled, as it is, as the fourth race on the fifth and final day.
The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes is run over six furlongs and open to horses aged four years and upwards, if foaled in the North Hemisphere, or three years and upwards, if foaled in the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, until 2015, the race was also open to Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds, but was subsequently closed to that age group to encourage entry in the newly-created Commonwealth Cup.
Reflecting the long, illustrious history of the race, the legendary pair Vincent O’Brien and Lester Piggot remain the leading trainer and jockey, with five and 10 winners respectively. More recently, trainers Charlie Appleby, James Fanshawe, Charles Hills, Aidan O’Brien have all saddled two winners in the past two decades, while jockeys James Doyle and Ryan Moore have ridden three winners apiece in that same period.