Royal Ascot: Chesham Stakes

The Chesham Stakes, the opening race on the final day of the Royal meeting, is a Listed race over 7 furlongs for two-year-olds named after the 3rd Baron Chesham who served as Master of the Buckhounds in 1900-01. It was established in 1919, and it was originally contested over 5 furlongs, replacing the first leg of the Triennial Stakes which was first staged in 1848 when won by Elthiron. The race has an unusual restriction, being open only to horses sired by stallions who won over ten furlongs or more.  For a time the Chesham Stakes was contested over 6 furlongs, but was extended to 7 furlongs in 1996.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the first leg of the First Triennial Stakes over 5 furlongs, the forerunner of the Chesham Stakes, was on Tuesday 6th June 1848 when a field of 19 was headed by Elthiron, owned by Lord Eglinton, who beat Borneo and Jester by a head and the same. In 1919 the Triennial Stakes First leg was replaced by the Chesham Stakes and was run on Wednesday 18th June 1919 when Mr L Robinson's unnamed Decagone colt (7/4 fav) beat Fiddle de Dee and Pelope by 2 lengths and 3 lengths.
Chesham Stakes 1951 Listed race 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CHIVALRY D Smith R Day Mr P Hatvany 13/2
2 FIERY TORCH W Nevett H Peacock Mr R S Clark 20/1
3 LIFE SENTENCE T Gosling Warden Mr Jeremy Tree 8/1
4 AMPHIS E C Elliott H Wragg M Marcel Boussac 2/1 fav
5 OLYMPIC G Richards W Smyth Mrs H Coriat 4/1
6 GALEN C Smirke M Marsh HH Aga Khan 10/1
7 KINGSPRAY W Cook Nightingall Sir Bracewell Smith 10/1
8 TEEFIN N Sellwood Persse Mr J Olding 100/8
9 GRAND STRATEGY W Rickaby J Jarvis Mr H D Wills 100/8
10 LEFEBVRE E W Jones Johnson-Houghton Miss D Paget 20/1
11 DOROPHA W H Carr Garnham Mr P Sleeman 20/1
12 TWIDDLER E Smith Lawson Mr J J Astor 20/1
13 INNS OF COURT F Durr W Smyth Mrs D Parker Bowles 20/1
This race took place on Thursday 14th June 1951 and was won by a chestnut colt by Prince Chevalier out of Ann of Austria, winning a first prize of £2182 (equivalent to £70,000 in 2020). Over round 136%
Chesham Stakes Listed race 7 furlongs 1919 (1848)
                1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879
1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951