Royal Ascot: Royal Hunt Cup

The Royal Hunt Cup was established in 1843, originally contested on a right-handed course over 7 furlongs and 166 yards, although the race's distance was shortened to 7 furlongs and 155 yards in 1930, but was then extended to its present length in 1956. It is now run on a straight course on the second day of the Royal meeting, and usually features a large field. It is one of three perpetual trophies at the meeting, along with the Gold Cup and the Queen's Vase, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners.
Early history:- The inaugural running took place on Wednesday 14th June 1843 when won by Lord Chesterfield's Knight of the Whistle (5/1), with a triple dead-heat for second between Lord Milltown's Bourra Tomacha (20/1), Mr Balchin's Epaulette (20/1) and Colonel Peel's Garry Owen (12/1).
Royal Hunt Cup 1963 Handicap 7 furlongs 155 yards
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SPANIARDS CLOSE L Piggott F Winter Mrs B Davis 25/1
2 MYSTERY L Ward T Shaw Mrs Ann Biddle 50/1
3 NEREUS Breasley K Cundell Mr P Robinson 100/8
4 GAY CASINO J Sime Beasley Major H Dawson 7/1 fav
5 AMBER LIGHT D Smith F Winter Mr E Hill 8/1
6 NO FIDDLING D Yates Greenhill Captain G Drummond 100/6
7 KINGBENITCH W Williamson P Nelson Sir B Mountain 100/6
8 SONGEDOR J Mercer M Feakes Mr H Tyler 18/1
9 HASTY CLOUD D Keith Wallington Mr G Walters 20/1
10 WATER SKIER R P Elliott E Cousins Mr D Murray 20/1
11 HARBINGER D W Morris Boyd-Rochfort Sir H de Trafford 22/1
12 GUARD OF HONOUR Des Cullen Marks Mr G Ellot 25/1
13 ELCO W Carr D Whelan Captain T Langton 25/1
14 SMARTIE R Maddocks Mason Mr R Mason 28/1
15 KING OF SABA Don Morris Elsey Sir R Sykes 28/1
16 GRAND APPLAUSE B Raymond Cottrill Mr E Rudd 28/1
17 OWL G Lewis P Hastings-Bass Mr Paul Mellon 28/1
18 MAEANDON R Reader Sutcliffe Mr B Myers 33/1
19 BLANDFORD LAD J Larkin E Cousins Mr E Hockenbull 33/1
20 COMPENSATION S Smith Lambton Mrs G Lambton 33/1
21 MR BILLY B T P Glennon M V O'Brien Mrs M Moore 33/1
22 COLOUR BLIND R Hutchinson T Corbett Mr J Baillie 33/1
23 FURY ROYAL Eric Eldin Weymes Mr A Turner 33/1
24 ZARAGOZA Knuckey Greenhill Major H Holt 33/1
25 CAMPAIGN Robinson J Jarvis Lord Rosebery 33/1
26 ST GULLIVER W Snaith F Armstrong Sir G Dowty 40/1
27 RESCIND G Starkey H Wragg Mr R Sigtia 50/1
28 FRENCH FRANC E Hide H Price Mr Salner 50/1
29 ROMANCERO E Cracknell Carey Mr F Thrush 50/1
30 VARIETY PARADE Hicks Masson Mr D L-Naylor 50/1
31 SWORD J Roe T Shaw Mrs Ann Biddle 50/1
32 CAPABICO T Carter L Barrett Mrs T Green 50/1
33 FORMENTOR L C Parkes Hanley Mr G Blum 50/1
34 GELERT McKeown Stickley Mrs F Nagle 50/1
35 TENET D Richardson Budgett Sir G d'Eyncourt 50/1
36 KABADI J Hunter R Barnes Mr J Gittins 50/1
37 EVYANS GOLDEN SHADOWS Flannagan H Smyth Baroness Lagendorff 50/1
38 COURT ORDER D Greening Blagrave Mrs J Collins 50/1
This race took place on Wednesday 19th June 1963 and was won by a bay horse by Solonaway out of Under Canvas, winning a first prize of £3960 (equivalent to £85,000 in 2020), which included a piece of plate valued at 500 sovereigns which was kept by the owner. Over round 144%
Royal Hunt Cup Handicap 1 mile 1843
      1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879
1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 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 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963