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 1897 Handicap 1 mile 2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 BIRCH ROD N Robinson 4-7st 7lbs (Sharp) Lord Stanley 10/1
2 EARWIG Allsopp 4-8st 2lbs Mr H E Beddington 10/1
3 AMANDIER T Loates aged-8st 9lbs Baron de Rothschild 100/14
4 KNIGHT OF THE THISTLE J Calder 4-9st 4lbs Mr H McCalmont 100/12
5 GREEN LAWN W Bradford 6-9st 0lbs Mr A Cohen 100/7
6 SHADDOCK M Cannon 4-8st 6lbs Duke of Westminster 6/1 jt fav
7 LADY ERNIE F Finlay 4-7st 10lbs Mr Theobalds 100/8
8 EILEEN AIGAS C Wood 4-7st 11lbs Mr W Blake 100/8
9 TEUFEL K Cannon 4-7st 9lbs Mr R B Straus 6/1 jt fav
10 KOPELY S Loates 4-7st 8lbs M R Lebaudy 10/1
11 BRAYHEAD J Sharples 3-6st 12lbs Mr Jersey 9/1
12 LITERATURE Newton 3-6st 11lbs Mr Tom Jennings junior 100/8
13 MISS FRASER H Toon 4=6st 12lbs Lord Ellesmere 100/8
14 WILD RAY C Leader 3-6st 7lbs Mr Cresswell 25/1
15 SHAMA Herbert Jones 3-6st 5lbs Mr Arthur James 25/1
This race took place on Friday 30th July 1897 and was a subscription race of 15 sovereigns each for all ages. There were 40 subs and it was valued at 460 sovereigns (equivalent to £64,000 in 2021). Over round 138%