The race is named after the former chairman of the Australian Jockey Club Sir Colin Stephen (1872–1937). Stephen was a solicitor, horse racing administrator, racehorse owner/breeder and polo player.
A committee member from 1912 served on the Sir Adrian Knox sub-committee which framed the rules of racing of that year and as chairman of the Australian Jockey Club from 1919, Stephen was determined to make racing in New South Wales a clean and healthy pastime. In 1933 his revised rules were adopted throughout Australia. Sir Colin Stephen’s racing colours of Pale blue, white cap were carried to success by the Ascot Vale Stakes winners Fidelity 1936 & Caesar 1937 defeating the champion Ajax.[2][3][4]
This race was called the AJC Spring Stakes until 1938. In 1976, 1983, 1988 and 2006 it was known as the AJC Queens Cup. During 1989 and 1995 the race was called the AJC The Japan Trophy race. In 1977 it was the AJC Jubilee Handicap.[1]
In 2016 the event was raced as the Queen's Cup,[5] which was also held at Rosehill in 2022.[6]
