Royal Ascot: Chesham Stakes (First Leg of First Triennial 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 Triennial Stakes 1886 Listed race 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 DEVILSHOOF Tom Cannon C Arnull 2-8st 12lbs Prince Soltykoff 5/1
2 SPRINGFIELD colt G Barrett George Bloss 2-8st 12lbs Sir F Johnstone 10/1
3 ISOSCELES Jem Goater George Bloss 2-8st 12lbs Lord Hartington 6/1
4 THURIO colt Fred Webb William Goater 2-8st 12lbs General Pearson 6/1
5 BERBER W Lashmar Rogers 2-8st 12lbs Baron De Hirsch 20/1
6 ST PIERRE Charles Wood Sherrard 2-8st 12lbs General Owen Williams 8/1
7 THE JESUIT F Barrett George Bloss 2-8st 12lbs Mr R B Brett 10/1
8 BLANCHLAND Fred Archer Mathew Dawson 2-8st 12lbs Lord Falmouth 10/1
9 ALBERT VICTOR filly John Osborne Tom Jennings jnr 2-8st 9lbs Sir R Jardine 2/1 fav
This race, forerunner of the Chesham Stakes, took place on Wednesday 9th June 1886 and was won by a brown colt by Balfe out of Meteor to win 970 sovereigns from 67 subscribers (equivalent to £127,000 in 2020). Over round 120%
Chesham Stakes Listed race 7 furlongs 1919 (1848)
                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