1000 Guineas Stakes

The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May on the Sunday following the 2000 Guineas Stakes.

It is the second of Britain's five Classic races, and the first of two restricted to fillies. It can also serve as the opening leg of the Fillies' Triple Crown, followed by the Oaks and the St Leger, but the feat of winning all three is rarely attempted.

History

The 1000 Guineas was first run on 28 April 1814, five years after the inaugural running of the equivalent race for both colts and fillies, the 2000 Guineas. The two races were established by the Jockey Club under the direction of Sir Charles Bunbury, who had earlier co-founded the Derby. They were named according to their original prize funds (a guinea amounted to 21 shillings, or £1.05).

By the mid-1860s, the 1000 Guineas had become one of Britain's most prestigious races for three-year-olds. The five leading events for this age group, characterised by increasing distances as the season progressed, were now referred to as "Classics". The concept was later adopted in many other countries.