Goodwood Stakes

The Goodwood Stakes (Handicap) is the second oldest race still staged at the Glorious Goodwood Festival having first been run in 1823 in its current format. However, some might claim that it is the oldest race, since a Goodwood Stakes over 2 miles was staged at the 1811 meeting, a year before the inaugural running of the present day Goodwood Cup, while others would assert that a Goodwood Silver Cup was first held in 1808. It is a handicap for 3-year-olds and above over 2miles 5 furlongs, although it has fluctuated between 2 miles 5 furlongs and 2 miles throughout its history, and is currently contested over 2 miles 4 furlongs and 134 yards, making it a wonderful spectacle for the crowd, as it starts in front of the stands and is the longest presently run at the Festival.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Goodwood Stakes was on Tuesday 12th August 1823 when the Duke of Richmond's Dandizette defeated Lord Egremont's Young Gohanna colt, although on the same card the Old Goodwood Club Stakes saw Lord Egremont’s Elfrid beat Mr C Day's Victorine.
Goodwood Stakes 1939 Handicap 2 miles 3 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 VALEDICTORY W Nevett Boyd-Rochfort 4-7st 13lbs Mr J H Whitney 100/9
2 HIGH RANK Doug Smith P Allden Miss Cowley 100/6
3 BLACK SPECK B Carslake Noel Cannon Mr James Rank 100/7
4 FOXGLOVE II Gordon Richards Fred Darling Mr Peter Beatty 100/9
5 WINNEBAR Harry Wragg F Templeman Sir Frederick Eley 10/1
6 ORACION T Weston George Lambton Major D McCalmont 13/2 fav
7 SLIP IN M Beary Noel Cannon Mr James V Rank 20/1
8 LISTOR Eph Smith Barling Mr A Hedley 100/9
9 FOXCHASE W Sibbritt Walter Nightingall Miss Dorothy Paget 10/1
10 L'ESTAQUE D V Dick R Bennett Sir David Llewellyn 33/1
11 ALL'S FAIR T Bartlam Towser Gosden Mrs P Pleydell-Bouverie 100/8
12 VALENTIN Cliff Richards Cottrill Lady Nuttall 33/1
13 BULTOI A Burns Atty Persse Mr W Murray 100/8
14 REVOLTE James Doyle Vic Gilpin Mr Lionel Cecil 20/1
15 LILLIBULLERO B Lynch F Pratt Mr James de Rothschild 100/7
16 JAWABIR K Mullins Willett Mr T Richards 33/1
17 HEMAN A Richardson Lawson Sir Abe Bailey 33/1
18 ASCOT LAD F Sharpe R Jones Sir W Waldron 33/1
This race took place on Wednesday 26th July 1939 and was a subscription race of 10 sovereigns each. It was valued at £1000 (equivalent to £130,000 in 2021) Over round 120%