The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in mid-April.
History The event is named after William Craven, 6th Baron Craven, a member of the Jockey Club in the 18th century. His support for racing at Newmarket led to the introduction of the Craven Meeting in 1771.
The first race had a subscription of 5 guineas, to which 21 subscribed. It was to be run "from the ditch to the turn of the lands." The race was won by Pantaloon, owned by a Mr Vernon. Fourteen horses had taken part.
An open-age version of the Craven Stakes was staged annually until the 1870s. It traditionally took place on a Monday in April, and was usually Newmarket's first race of the season. Several other venues had a race of the same name.
The present race, a one-mile event for three-year-olds, was established in 1878. The inaugural running was won by Thurio.
The modern version of the Craven Stakes can serve as a trial for the 2,000 Guineas. The first horse to win both races was Scot Free in 1884. The most recent was Haafhd in 2004.
The Craven Stakes is currently held on the second day (Wednesday) of Newmarket's three-day Craven Meeting.
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins): Woodpecker – 1778, 1779, 1781
Leading jockey since 1878 (6 wins): Morny Cannon – Harbinger (1893), Sempronius (1894), Guernsey (1897), Solennis (1899), Port Blair (1902), His Eminence (1906)
Leading trainer since 1878 (8 wins): Sir Michael Stoute – Shadeed (1985), Ajdal (1987), Doyoun (1988), Shaadi (1989), Alnasr Alwasheek (1992), Desert Story (1997), King of Happiness (2002), Adagio (2007)
Winners since 1900 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time 1900 Headpiece Sam Loates 1901 Rigo Otto Madden 1:49.60 1902 Port Blair Mornington Cannon 1:49.60 1903 Countermark 1904 Airlie Harry Aylin George Lambton 1905 St Oswald William Halsey John Porter 1906 His Eminence Mornington Cannon Charles Beatty 1907 Slieve Gallion Billy Higgs Sam Darling 1908Abandoned due to snow 1909 Howick William Halsey Sandy Braime 1910 Neil Gow Danny Maher Percy Peck 1911 Irish King Danny Maher Samuel Pickering 1912 Jingling Geordie Frank Wootton Sam Darling 1913 Sanquhar Danny Maher Percy Peck 1914 Kennymore Frank O'Neill Alec Taylor Jr. 1915 Rossendale James Clark Hazleton 1916(dh) Roi d'EcosseSir Dighton Steve DonoghueHerbert Jomes Atty PersseRichard Marsh 1917 Dansellon Ralph Watson Atty Persse 1:40.80 1918 Benevente Jack Evans Bobby Dewhurst 1919 Buchan Jack Brennan Alec Taylor Jr. 1920 Daylight Patrol Snowy Whalley John Watson 1921Meeting Abandoned due to a National Coal Strike 1922 Collaborator Charlie Elliott Jack Jarvis 1:42.20 1923 Light Hand Frank Bullock Alec Taylor Jr. 1:41.40 1924 St Germans Frank Bullock Alec Taylor Jr. 1:39.20 1925 Picaroon Frank Bullock Alec Taylor Jr. 1:39.20 1926 Harpagon Charlie Elliott Jack Jarvis 1:40.00 1927 Tattoo Richard Perryman John Watson 1:43.20 1928 Royal Minstrel Joe Childs Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:37.00 1929 Cragadour Richard Perryman Joseph Lawson 1:38.00 1930 Writ Bobby Dick Joseph Lawson 1:40.20 1931 Philae Tommy Weston Dundas 1:39.40 1932 Loaningdale Joe Childs Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:46.00 1933 Lochiel Gordon Richards Fred Darling 1:41.00 1934 Colombo Rae Johnstone Tommy Hogg 1:39.00 1935 Buckleigh Gordon Richards Tommy Hogg 1:39.00 1936 Monument Rufus Beasley Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:38.80 1937 Snowfall Richard Perryman Colledge Leader 1:44.20 1938 Challenge Eph Smith Jack Jarvis 1:42.00 1939 Signal Light Rufus Beasley Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:40.60 1940 Prince Tetra Arthur Wragg Fred Templeman 1:48.20 1941 Morogoro Harry Wragg Fred Darling 1:42.80 1942no race 1942-45 1946 Gulf Stream Harry Wragg Walter Earl 1:39.40 1947 Migoli Doug Smith Frank Butters 1:46.00 1948 My Babu Charlie Smirke Sam Armstrong 1:40.80 1949 Moondust Doug Smith Frank Butters 1:39.40 1950 Rising Flame Geoff Littlewood Charles Elsey 1:42.60 1951 Claudius Doug Page Dick Warden 1:46.80 1952 Kara Tepe Manny Mercer George Colling 1:40.60 1953 Oleandrin Gordon Richards Harvey Leader 1:38.71 1954 Ambler II Harry Carr Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:42.09 1955 True Cavalier Snowy Fawden Harvey Leader 1:44.17 1956 Pirate King Willie Snaith Humphrey Cottrill 1:41.09 1957 Shearwater Lester Piggott Noel Murless 1:42.60 1958 Bald Eagle Harry Carr Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 1:43.08 1959 Pindari Lester Piggott Noel Murless 1:46.15 1960 Tudorich Scobie Breasley Sir Gordon Richards 1:42.92 1961 Aurelius Lester Piggott Noel Murless 1:43.29 1962 High Noon Edward Hide Bill Elsey 1:44.06 1963 Crocket Doug Smith Geoffrey Brooke 1:44.39 1964 Young Christopher Ron Sheather Freddie Maxwell 1:38.64 1965 Corifi Geoff Lewis Staff Ingham 1:42.28 1966 Salvo Frankie Durr Harry Wragg 1:43.38 1967 Sloop Greville Starkey John Oxley 1:40.78 1968 Petingo Joe Mercer Sam Armstrong 1:42.70 1969 Paddy's Progress Sandy Barclay Noel Murless 1:48.11 1970 Tamil Willie Carson Bernard van Cutsem 1:45.10 1971 Levanter Tony Murray Ryan Price 1:42.11 1972 Leicester Geoff Lewis Noel Murless 1:47.09 1973 My Drifter Eric Eldin John Sutcliffe jr. 1:38.12 1974 Numa Pat Eddery Peter Walwyn 1:40.24 1975 No Alimony Pat Eddery Peter Walwyn 1:52.47 1976 Malinowski Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien 1:36.88 1977 Limone Greville Starkey Guy Harwood 1:40.47 1978 Admirals' Launch Willie Carson Dick Hern 1:43.81 1979 Lyphard's Wish Joe Mercer Henry Cecil 1:41.24 1980 Tyrnavos Edward Hide Bruce Hobbs 1:41.87 1981 Kind of Hush Steve Cauthen Barry Hills 1:42.51 1982 Silver Hawk Tony Murray Michael Albina 1:39.61 1983 Muscatite Brian Taylor Jeremy Hindley 1:47.23 1984 Lear Fan Greville Starkey Guy Harwood 1:38.12 1985 Shadeed Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 1:38.84 1986 Dancing Brave Greville Starkey Guy Harwood 1:49.96 1987 Ajdal Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 1:39.49 1988 Doyoun Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 1:38.48 1989 Shaadi Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 1:43.76 1990 Tirol Pat Eddery Richard Hannon Sr. 1:38.38 1991 Marju Willie Carson John Dunlop 1:36.12 1992 Alnasr Alwasheek Steve Cauthen Michael Stoute 1:37.39 1993 Emperor Jones Ray Cochrane John Gosden 1:37.80 1994 King's Theatre Michael Kinane Henry Cecil 1:43.42 1995 Painter's Row John Reid Peter Chapple-Hyam 1:37.08 1996 Beauchamp King John Reid John Dunlop 1:37.82 1997 Desert Story Michael Kinane Michael Stoute 1:38.08 1998 Xaar Olivier Peslier André Fabre 1:42.31 1999 Compton Admiral Frankie Dettori Gerard Butler 1:38.72 2000 Umistim Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:41.11 2001 King's Ironbridge Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:42.25 2002 King of Happiness Kieren Fallon Michael Stoute 1:37.39 2003 Hurricane Alan Jimmy Fortune Richard Hannon Sr. 1:39.93 2004 Haafhd Richard Hills Barry Hills 1:38.33 2005 Democratic Deficit Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:39.43 2006 Killybegs Michael Hills Barry Hills 1:38.79 2007 Adagio Kerrin McEvoy Michael Stoute 1:35.55 2008 Twice Over Ted Durcan Henry Cecil 1:38.54 2009 Delegator Jamie Spencer Brian Meehan 1:36.56 2010 Elusive Pimpernel Ryan Moore John Dunlop 1:37.16 2011 Native Khan Kieren Fallon Ed Dunlop 1:37.56 2012 Trumpet Major Ryan Moore Richard Hannon Sr. 1:37.44 2013 Toronado Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:35.19 2014 Toormore Ryan Moore Richard Hannon Jr. 1:35.42 2015 Kool Kompany Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Jr. 1:38.86 2016 Stormy Antarctic George Baker Ed Walker 1:44.01 2017 Eminent Jim Crowley Martyn Meade 1:35.15 2018 Masar William Buick Charlie Appleby 1:38.15 2019 Skardu James Doyle William Haggas 1:37.89 no race 2020 2021 Master of The Seas William Buick Charlie Appleby 1:38.79 2022 Native Trail William Buick Charlie Appleby 1:35.91 2023 Indestructible Kevin Stott Karl Burke 1:39.78 2024 Haatem Sean Levey Richard Hannon Jr. 1:35.09 2025 Field Of Gold Kieran Shoemark John & Thady Gosden 1:39.26 2026 Oxagon Oisin Murphy John & Thady Gosden 1:37.21
Earlier winners
Original version
1771: Pantaloon 1772: Jason 1773: Firetail 1774: Sweetwilliam 1775: Barbary 1776: Hephestion 1777: Maiden 1778: Woodpecker 1779: Woodpecker 1780: Triumph 1781: Woodpecker 1782: Potoooooooo 1783: Alaric 1784: Buzaglo 1785: Dungannon 1786: Premier 1787: Ulysses 1788: Mufti 1789: Thorn 1790: Bullfinch 1791: Mufti 1792: Minos 1793: Buzzard 1794: Buzzard 1795: Kitt Carr 1796: Play or Pay 1797: Hambletonian 1798: Aimator 1799: Spoliator 1800: Oscar 1801: Eagle 1802: Cockfighter 1803: Eagle 1804: Aniseed 1805: Ditto 1806: Sir David 1807: Selim 1808: Deceiver 1809: Violante 1810: Rubens 1811: Recorder 1812: Flash 1813: Offas's Dyke 1814: Slender Billy 1815: Wire 1816: Bourbon 1817: Roller 1818: Skim 1819: Cannon Ball 1820: Antar 1821: colt by Comus 1822: Godolphin 1823: Scarborough 1824: Vargas 1825: Longwaist 1826: Trinculo 1827: The Alderman 1828: Lamplighter 1829: Zinganee 1830: Seraph 1831: Priam 1832: Chapman 1833: Camarine 1834: Colwick 1835: Plenipotentiary 1836: Redshank 1837: Flock 1838: Redshank 1839: Quo Minus 1840: Scroggins 1841: Epirus 1842: The Currier 1843: Ma Mie 1844: Corranna 1847: King of Morven 1850: Retail 1851: Sotterley 1852: Lady Agnes 1853: Ariosto 1854: Calamus 1855: Orinoco 1856: Napoleon III 1857: Flacrow 1858: Fisherman 1859: Sedbury 1860: Cynricus 1861: Crater 1862: Blackcock 1863: Romanoff 1864: Bathilde 1865: Pirate 1866: Mazeppa 1867: Lord Lyon 1868: Lady Coventry 1869: Blue Gown 1870: Rosicrucian 1871: Panoplite 1872: Sterling 1873: Prince Charlie 1874: Drummond 1875: Gang Forward 1876–77: no race
Current version
1878: Thurio 1879: Discord 1880: Fernandez 1881: Cameliard 1882: Laureate 1883: Grandmaster 1884: Scot Free 1885: Esterling 1886: Grey Friars 1887: The Baron 1888: Orbit 1889: Gay Hampton 1890: Morion 1891: Friar Lubin 1892: The Lover 1893: Harbinger 1894: Sempronius 1895: The Owl 1896: Lord Hervey 1897: Guernsey 1898: Jeddah 1899: Solennis
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British flat horse races
References
Paris-Turf: , , , , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
External links Race Recordings (1975, 1976, 1979-2004) youtube.com galopp-sieger.de – Craven Stakes. ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Craven Stakes (2019). pedigreequery.com – Craven Stakes – Newmarket.