Royal Ascot: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes

The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes is a flat handicap over 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards open to horses of three-year-old and up. The race was previously known as the Bessborough Stakes and was named after John George Brabazon Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough, who was Master of the Buckhounds on three occasions between 1848 and 1858 under Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen and Lord Palmerston. The first race under the original name of the Bessborough Stakes, was a five-furlong race for two-year-olds run on Tuesday 16th June 1914. The title was later bestowed on a mile and a half handicap race at the same meeting. In 1999 the race was renamed in honour of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, although the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes had previously been used for a two-year-old race at Ascot, with Sea Pigeon a former winner who later landed the Champion Hurdle.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Bessborough Stakes, a forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, was over 5 furlongs on Tuesday 16th June 1914 when Mr W Astor's Good and Gay (100/8) defeated Rossendale (10/1), Scotch Rose (100/6) and 13 others by a head and 2 lengths.
Bessborough Stakes 1924 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 HAINE Charlie Smirke C Davis Mr C Kenyon 6/1
2 NORSEMAN Steve Donoghue Ward Mr J White 4/1 jt fav
3 BRINKLOW C Elliott W Jarvis Mr A Bayley-Worthington 10/1
4 ALGERION F O'Neill Sam Darling Mr A K Macomber 20/1
5 CEINTURON Tommy Weston George Lambton Lord Derby 7/1
6 ARDAVON G Hulme R Dawson Mr H G de Costa 8/1
7 ARGO S Ingham Coulthwaite Lord Londesborough 10/1
8 SCAMP F Fox Templeman Mr H Greville 7/1
9 TRAJANUS Henri Jelliss Basil Jarvis Mr W Thornton 6/1
10 PINNACE W McLachlan De Mestre Mr Solly Joel 4/1 jt fav
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 18th June 1924 and the winner was a bay horse by Haindault out of Almond, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 126%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
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1920 1921 1922 1923 1924