Royal Ascot: Chesham Stakes (First Leg of First Biennial Stakes)

The Chesham Stakes, the opening race on the final day of the Royal meeting, is a Listed race over 7 furlongs for two-year-olds named after the 3rd Baron Chesham who served as Master of the Buckhounds in 1900-01. It was established in 1919, and it was originally contested over 5 furlongs, replacing the first leg of the Triennial Stakes which was first staged in 1848 when won by Elthiron. The race has an unusual restriction, being open only to horses sired by stallions who won over ten furlongs or more.  For a time the Chesham Stakes was contested over 6 furlongs, but was extended to 7 furlongs in 1996.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the first leg of the First Triennial Stakes over 5 furlongs, the forerunner of the Chesham Stakes, was on Tuesday 6th June 1848 when a field of 19 was headed by Elthiron, owned by Lord Eglinton, who beat Borneo and Jester by a head and the same. In 1919 the Triennial Stakes First leg was replaced by the Chesham Stakes and was run on Wednesday 18th June 1919 when Mr L Robinson's unnamed Decagone colt (7/4 fav) beat Fiddle de Dee and Pelope by 2 lengths and 3 lengths.

First Leg of First Biennial Stakes 1861 Listed race 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 ALERTE Watkins 2-8st 3lbs Baron Niviere 5/1
2 LORD BURLEIGH D Hughes 2-8st 7lbs Mr F Fisher 25/1
3 CARISBROOK Aldcroft 2-8st 7lbs Mr T Valentine 6/5 fav
4 CUTLER A French 2-8st 7lbs Mr Barber 25/1
5 CLOCKMAKER Alfred Day 2-8st 7lbs Duke of Beaufort 25/1
6 EXCHEQUER L Snowden 2-8st 7lbs Lord Coventry 7/1
7 MANRICO J Adams 2-8st 7lbs Mr W Day 25/1
8 WATCHFIRE Plumb 2-8st 7lbs Mr W H Mundy 25/1
9 MOROCCO John Wells 2-8st 7lbs Baron Rothschild 5/1
10 CORCORAN Midgley 2-8st 7lbs Mr J Saxon 25/1
11 KEANE S Rogers 2-8st 7lbs Lord Uxbridge 25/1
12 ST LAWRENCE Jem Goater 2-8st 7lbs Lord Westmorland 25/1
13 JUNG FRAU George Fordham 2-8st 3lbs Captain White 6/1
This race, forerunner of the Chesham Stakes, took place on Tuesday 11th June 1861 and was won by a bay filly by Alarm out of Aunt Phyllis to win 740 sovereigns from 64 subscribers (equivalent to £89,000 in 2020). Over round 135%
Chesham Stakes Listed race 7 furlongs 1919 (1848)
                1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861