The Hungerford Stakes – 75 Years Young

Following the end of World War II – and the racecourse having been requisitioned for use during the war – racing resumed at Newbury in 1949. A two-day meeting (the first fixtures at the course since September, 1941) commencing on April 1^st, included the Greenham Stakes, which was won easily by Star King, trained at Didcot by John Waugh.

Some four and half months later, Newbury staged a new race, the Hungerford Stakes, over the same seven furlong and sixty yards round course as the Greenham.

In keeping with most racecourses, many of Newbury’s race titles are named after areas close to the track – Hungerford is an historic market town, some eight miles west of Newbury.

Just two runners lined up in 1949 for a purse of £665. The closing event on Friday, 19^th August, it was Star King who took the honours.

Star King had been rated the second highest two-year-old of 1948. After his Greenham win he’d started second favourite for the 2000 Guineas, but ran poorly. However, a game victory in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot confirmed him as a top-class colt. The Hungerford Stakes proved easy pickings for him. Subsequently Star King was sold and then later exported to Australia where, re-named Star Kingdom, he became an outstanding stallion, champion sire on five occasions.

2024 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Hungerford Stakes, a race which has grown considerably in stature since that rather low-key inauguration. Like the Greenham Stakes, the Hungerford is now run over Newbury’s straight seven-furlong course. It currently holds Group 2 Status and has a total prize fund of £125,000. Open to horses aged three and above;  it is one of five such races (all with similar conditions) in the UK which take place during the second half of the season.

The Hungerford roll of honour is an impressive one, with a number of its winners also successful at Group 1 level. In the last twenty years, this group includes Red Evie, Paco Boy, Excelebration and Dream Of Dreams.

Of the aforementioned quartet, perhaps special mention should be made of 2008 winner, Paco Boy. Trained at East Everleigh by Richard Hannon Snr, Paco Boy won eleven of his twenty-four races. Five of these took place at Newbury, where he was successful four times, including in the Greenham Stakes (2008) and Lockinge Stakes (2010). Like Star King all those years ago, Paco Boy now has a life as a stallion. He stands at Highclere Stud, situated just twelve miles from the racecourse.