Chesterfield Cup

The Chesterfield Cup, joint fifth oldest race at Glorious Goodwood, along with the Nassau Stakes, is a handicap over 1 mile 1 furlong and 192 yards and was first run in 1839 when known as the Harkaway Cup, and again in 1840 when mysteriously known as the Goodwood Cup of 1839. A year later it became known by the more suitable title of Chesterfield Cup, later adjusted to the Chesterfield Stakes. The race was named after the sixth Earl of Chesterfield, George Stanhope who won 2 Goodwood Cups with Priam who he purchased after the colt had landed the 1830 Epsom Derby. The race was part of the Glorious Goodwood programme up until 1969, then was replaced by the Laurels Handicap over roughly the same distance, but confined to older horses, with the Chesterfield Cup moved to the next meeting in August. The Cup was reintroduced to the Festival programme in 1979 on the last day, but in 1983 became a stalwart of the opening day of the Festival, albeit under a variety of names dependant on its sponsor.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Chesterfield Cup, then known as the Harkaway Cup, was on Friday 2nd August 1839, was won by Lord Eglinton’s Bellona, beating Confusionee and The Corsair.
Chesterfield Cup 1867 Handicap 1 mile 2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 OSTREGER Custance 5-9st 0lbs Mr S Thellusson 100/15
2 MOULSEY J Grimshaw 6-9st 6lbs Lord Bateman 25/1
3 LA DAUPHINE Peppler 4-6st 3lbs Mr R Ten Broeck 50/1
4 LORD RONALD George Fordham 5-8st 12lbs Duke of Beaufort 50/1
5 SULTAN A Edwards 5-8st 2lbs Duke of Hamilton 100/15
6 KLARINSKA Carroll 5-8st 0lbs Mr J Bowes 50/1
7 DUKE OF YORK J Mann 4-7st 12lbs Prince Demetri Soltykoff 50/1
8 VESPASIAN Cannon 4-7st 12lbs Mr Henry Chaplin 100/7
9 LANERET Goodwin 4-7st 7lbs Mr G Bryan 50/1
10 SKIRMISH Hibberd 5-7st 7lbs Mr A Heathcote 100/7
11 FRIDAY H Covey 5-7st 2lbs Mr Pryor 15/1
12 ISCHIA Murray 4-7st 0lbs Duke of Beafort 33/1
13 LANGHAM Quince 4-6st 7lbs Mr J Dixon 50/1
14 WOLSEY Huxtable 4-6st 9lbs Sir Joseph Hawley 5/1
15 MANDRAKE Cameron 3-6st 7lbs Mr J Johnstone 33/1
16 LIFE GUARDSMAN H Clark 4-6st 7lbs Lord Uxbridge 50/1
17 SALAMANCA Mordan 4-6st 7lbs Mr W G Bennett 50/1
18 THALIA Kenyon 4-6st 6lbs Lord Westmorland 3/1 fav
19 NARINO Jeffrey 3-6st 4lbs Mr Henry Chaplin 50/1
20 LOCHABER Prangle 3-6st 3lbs Mr John Powney 50/1
21 ROMULUS Colt Fox 3-6st 1lbs Lord Wilton 20/1
22 PAKRITA Hudson 3-5st 8lbs Mr H Marsh 50/1
23 FORTUNIO Wyatt 3-5st 8lbs Captain Gray 50/1
24 MIRELLA Butters 4-6st 8lbs Mr J Merry 20/1
25 INES Butler 3-6st 7lbs Marquis of Hastings 10/1
This race took place on Friday 2nd August 1867 and was a subscription race of 15 sovereigns each for all ages. There were 70 subscribers, and it was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £36,000 in 2021). Over round 144%