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 1929 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SIEGFRIED H Wragg D Waugh Lord Howard De Walden 100/8
2 ADIEU F Winter Wal Griggs Mr F W Horlock 100/6
3 GIPSY KING T Lowrey Michell Mrs F K Hertz 7/1 fav
4 POLYANTHUS A Richardson Peacock Mr J L Dugdale 20/1
5 APPLEDORE G Richards Hogg Lord Glanely 25/1
6 LANSON R James R J Colling Mr D Goold 100/7
7 LARDLAND L Cordell F Hartigan Contessa de Sant Ellia 25/1
8 EILEANDONAN K Robertson H Leader Lord W De Broke 25/1
9 MOUNTAIN LAD F Lane Gooch Mr H Sutton 100/9
10 SATURN A Burns P Gilpin Mr L Neumann 100/6
11 MISS ONSLOW W Turtle Lawson Mr Washington Singer 25/1
12 PARWIZ M Beary R Dawson HH Aga Khan 10/1
13 SUNNY TRACE F Fox F Darling Lord Dewar 25/1
14 CARDINAL'S RING H Jelliss Leach jnr Mr W T Sears 100/9
15 BURLINGTON ARCADE T Weston France Lady Granard 25/1
16 BURNSIDE F Field T Cannon Sir W Gilbey 25/1
17 WEST WICKLOW C Richards L Todd Mr D O'Leahy 100/7
18 MINT MASTER S Donoghue Crawford Sir Victor Sassoon 100/8
19 TATTOO J Caldwell Watson Mr A De Rothschild 25/1
20 MITTAGONG P Nelson De Mestre Sir H Cunliffe-Owen 25/1
21 LA SOLOGNE S Magee FRance M M Calmann 33/1
22 BELLE MERE G Maines Leach snr Sir R Jardine 33/1
23 PARD J Dines Sneyd Mrs G H Drummond 50/1
24 GOLDEN RAIN A Wragg Walter Nightingall Sir M Wilson 33/1
25 FLAMINIA II W Stephenson P Gilpin M E De St Alary 50/1
26 BUCKFAST J Kirby Reg Day Mr R L Cohen 50/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 19th June 1929 and the winner was a bay horse by Son-in-law out of Fire Mist, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 136%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929