The Minster Stakes (formerly the Duke of York Stakes and 1895 Duke of York Stakes) is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 6 furlongs () at York in May.

History An event called the Duke of York Stakes was introduced at York's August meeting in 1895. It was named after Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V) A middle-distance race for three-year-olds, its winners included Polymelus (1905), Papyrus (1923) and Firdaussi (1932).

A six-furlong handicap sprint titled the Duke of York Handicap Stakes was established at York's May meeting in 1950. It continued until the mid-1960s.

The current race, a six-furlong conditions race, was created in 1968 as the Duke of York Stakes. The first running was won by Hard Water. It was given Group 3 status in 1971, and promoted to Group 2 level in 2003.

The race was renamed in 2022 to distance it from Prince Andrew, Duke of York, later Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who faces allegations of sexual abuse, with the year 1895 added, referencing George V, a former Duke of York and the date the original race was first run. It was renamed again in 2026, taking its present title as an acknowledgment to York Minster.

The Minster Stakes is now held on the opening day of York's three-day Dante Festival meeting. It is run the day before the Dante Stakes.

Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Handsome Sailor – 1987, 1988

Leading jockey (4 wins): Lester Piggott – The Brianstan (1971), Steel Heart (1975), Thatching (1979), Vorvados (1983) Steve Cauthen – Flash n' Thunder (1980), Jester (1982), Indian Ridge (1989), Lugana Beach (1990) Michael Hills – Handsome Sailor (1988), Owington (1994), Royal Applause (1997), Steenberg (2006)

Leading trainer (7 wins): Barry Hills – Noble Mark (1974), Flash n' Thunder (1980), Jester (1982), Handsome Sailor (1987, 1988), Royal Applause (1997), Prime Defender (2010)

Leading owner (6 wins): Robert Sangster – Noble Mark (1974), Thatching (1979), Flash n' Thunder (1980), Jester (1982), Handsome Sailor (1987, 1988)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey TrainerOwner Time 1968 Hard Water 5 Joe Mercer John Sutcliffe, Jr. J R Brown 1:21.20 1969 Great Bear 5 Ron Hutchinson John Dunlop Lady S Fitzalan-Howard 1:27.00 1970 Fluke 3 George Duffield John Oxley Dick Hollingsworth 1:10.80 1971 The Brianstan 4 Lester Piggott John Sutcliffe, Jr. S Powell 1:11.80 1972 Stilvi 3 John Gorton Bruce Hobbs G Cambanis 1:10.40 1973 Abwah 4 Geoff Lewis Noel Murless Louis Freedman 1:10.80 1974 Noble Mark 3 Willie Carson Barry Hills Robert Sangster 1:11.33 1975 Steel Heart 3 Lester Piggott Dermot Weld Ravi Tikkoo 1:16.01 1976 Three Legs 4 Gianfranco Dettori Luca Cumani M Boffa 1:16.18 1977 Boldboy 7 Willie Carson Dick Hern Lady Beaverbrook 1:13.84 1978 Private Line 3 Edward Hide Clive Brittain G Greenwood 1:13.85 1979 Thatching 4 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 1:13.10 1980 Flash n' Thunder 3 Steve Cauthen Barry Hills Robert Sangster 1:10.40 1981 King of Spain 5 Paul Cook Peter Cundell Avon Industries Ltd 1:14.65 1982 Jester 3 Steve Cauthen Barry Hills Robert Sangster 1:10.61 1983 Vorvados 6 Lester Piggott Michael Haynes Miss F Gallichan 1:19.91 1984 Gabitat 6 Bob Curant Brian Gubby Brian Gubby Ltd 1:11.76 1985 Chapel Cottage 4 Philip Robinson Mick Ryan Terry Ramsden 1:13.65 1986 Grey Desire 6 Kevin Darley Mel Brittain Mel Brittain 1:18.23 1987 Handsome Sailor 4 Cash Asmussen Barry Hills Robert Sangster 1:12.58 1988 Handsome Sailor 5 Michael Hills Barry Hills Robert Sangster 1:12.73 1989 Indian Ridge 4 Steve Cauthen David Elsworth Mrs A Coughlan 1:10.17 1990 Lugana Beach 4 Steve Cauthen David Elsworth Ray Richards 1:11.74 1991 Green Line Express 5 Tony Cruz Mohammed Moubarak Ecurie Fustok 1:11.33 1992 Shalford 4 Michael Roberts Richard Hannon Sr. D F Cock 1:08.82 1993 Hamas 4 Willie Carson Peter Walwyn Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:12.22 1994 Owington 3 Michael Hills Geoff Wragg Baron Georg von Ullman 1:10.23 1995 Lake Coniston 4 Pat Eddery Geoff Lewis Highclere Thoroughbred Racing 1:11.52 1996 Venture Capitalist 7 Ray Cochrane David Nicholls W G Swiers 1:11.72 1997 Royal Applause 4 Michael Hills Barry Hills Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:12.13 1998 Bollin Joanne 5 Kieren Fallon Tim Easterby Late Lady Westbrook 1:10.91 1999 Sampower Star 3 Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. Sampower Racing Club 1:12.59 2000 Lend a Hand 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:10.77 2001 Pipalong 5 Kevin Darley Tim Easterby T H Bennett 1:11.20 2002 Invincible Spirit 5 Michael Kinane John Dunlop Prince A A Faisal 1:09.55 2003 Twilight Blues 4 Pat Smullen Brian Meehan Susan Roy 1:10.79 2004 Monsieur Bond 4 Fergal Lynch Bryan Smart R C Bond 1:16.39 2005 The Kiddykid 5 Jamie Spencer David Evans Claire Massey 1:15.93 2006 Steenberg 7 Michael Hills Mark Tompkins Kenneth Macpherson 1:12.54 2007 Amadeus Wolf 4 Neil Callan Kevin Ryan Duddy / McDonald / Heeney / INS 1:10.20 2008 Assertive 5 Ryan Moore Richard Hannon Sr. Lady Whent 1:10.71 2009 Utmost Respect 5 Paul Hanagan Richard Fahey Rumpole Partnership 1:10.70 2010 Prime Defender 6 Robert Winston Barry Hills Falle / Franklin / Sumsion 1:11.19 2011 Delegator 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:10.18 2012 Tiddliwinks 6 Jamie Spencer Kevin Ryan Exors of Guy Reed 1:12.96 2013 Society Rock 6 Kieren Fallon James Fanshawe Simon Gibson 1:11.44 2014 Maarek 7 Declan McDonogh Evanna McCutcheon Lisbunny Synd 1:13.53 2015 Glass Office 5 Jim Crowley David Simcock Fitri Hay 1:10.65 2016 Magical Memory 4 Frankie Dettori Charlie Hills Kennet Valley Tbreds 1:10.52 2017 Tasleet 4 Jim Crowley William Haggas Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:12.74 2018 Harry Angel 4 Adam Kirby Clive Cox Godolphin 1:10.87 2019 Invincible Army 4 P. J. McDonald James Tate Saeed Manana 1:09.90 no race 2020 2021 Starman 4 Oisin Murphy Ed Walker David Ward 1:11.24 2022 Highfield Princess 5 Jason Hart John Quinn Trainers House Enterprises Ltd 1:10.62 2023 Azure Blue 4 Paul Mulrennan Michael Dods P Appleton & Mrs Anne Elliott 1:09.11 2024 Mill Stream 4 William Buick Jane Chapple-Hyam Peter Harris 1:10.91 2025 Inisherin 4 Ryan Moore Kevin Ryan Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum 1:10.67 2026 Elmonjed 5 William Buick William Haggas Shadwell 1:11.88

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British flat horse races

References

Paris-Turf: , , , , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

galopp-sieger.de – Duke of York Stakes. ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Duke of York Stakes (2019). pedigreequery.com – Duke of York Stakes – York.