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 1875 Handicap 1 mile 2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 COOMASSIE Thompson 3-6st 7lbs Sir A de Rothschild 7/1
2 CHIEFTAIN Glover 4-7st 3lbs Mr G E Paget 4/1 jt fav
3 TARTINE Morbey 3-7st 4lbs Count Frederick de Lagrange 8/1
4 BERTRAM Custance 6-8st 12lbs Mr A C Barclay 100/9
5 THUNDER John Osborne 5-9st 10lbs Mr Vyner 100/7
6 THURINGIAN PRINCE George Fordham 4-8st 11lbs Mr Joseph Dawson 4/1 jt fav
7 TRENT Cannon 4-8st 7lbs Mr W R Marshall 50/1
8 SPECTATOR T Chaloner 4-8st 3lbs Lord Wilton 100/7
9 GARTERLY BELL Fred Archer 3-7st 4lbs Lord Falmouth 100/8
10 ST LEGER C Wood 3-7st 2lbs Mr W S Mitchell-Innes 50/1
11 ASCETIC Newhouse 4-7st 1lbs Mr T Smith 100/6
12 FAREHAM Weedon 3-7st 0lbs Mr H Baltazzi 50/1
13 ELDERALIE Dodge 5-6st 11lbs Mr J Bennett 50/1
14 TOWN CRIER C Willis 3-6st 10lbs Sir F Johnstone 100/8
15 DOVEDALE Rossiter 4-6st 9lbs Prince Soltykoff 50/1
16 LEVERET Pitman 3-6st 7lbs Lord Aylesford 50/1
17 FINIS Gallon 3-5st 10lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 50/1
This race took place on Friday 30th July 1875 and was a subscription race of 15 sovereigns each for all ages. There were 52 subscribers, and it was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £36,000 in 2021). Over round 122%