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 1956 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 BLUE BLAZES E Mercer J Jarvis Mr T Lilley 20/1
2 THE RABBI J Mercer R J Colling Mr J J Astor 100/6
3 HINDU WAND J Sime Beasley Mr W Harrison 5/4 fav
4 YORKTOWN K Gethin A Taylor Mr M Whittles 25/1
5 MANATI W Carr Boyd-Rochfort Mr R W Sharples 8/1
6 NAVAL HONOUR L Piggott Nightingall Mr C Bell 20/1
7 STRAIGHT LAD A Breasley H Nicholson Miss D Paget 20/1
8 ARCTIC SLAVE E Britt Canning Mr J Olding 25/1
9 HARBOUR BAR W Snaith C Jerdein Major J Paine 25/1
10 DIVING SUIT G Lewis Beeby Major R Barclay 25/1
11 ADMIRAL BYRD D Smith J F Watts Lord Derby 8/1
12 SHIRASTRIN P Robinson H Wragg Mr C Sweeny 20/1
13 INFALLIBLE W Swinburn F Armstrong Mr C Harper 20/1
14 GING T Carter G Todd Mr F Sigtia 20/1
15 PRECEDENT Paul Tulk Beasley Mr D Fetherstonhaugh 20/1
16 MODIFICATION D W Morris Beeby Lady Marchwood 25/1
17 JUVENILE COURT D Greening T E Leader Mr H J Joel 25/1
18 ROYAL QUADRILLE R Reader J Jarvis Lord Allendale 25/1
19 PEARL STUD E Smith N Bertie Captain D Fitzgerald 25/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 20th June 1956 and the winner was a brown horse by Dante out of Samanga, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1633 (equivalent to £46,000 in 2020). Over round 138%
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
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956