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 1881 Listed race 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 FOXGLOVE Maidment Wadlow 2-8st 7lbs Lord Bradford 7/1
2 WHIM BLOSSOM John Osborne Bates 2-8st 7lbs Mr R Jardine 100/30
3 GARETH Cannon Joe Cannon 2-8st 10lbs Lord Rosebery 100/8
4 WHIPPER IN Fred Webb George Bloss 2-8st 10lbs Mr H Chaplin 2/1 fav
5 CONQUEST Fred Archer Mathew Dawson 2-8st 7lbs Lord Falmouth 100/15
6 SPRING Lemaire John Ryan 2-8st 7lbs Mr J H Houldsworth 20/1
7 BROADSIDE Morbey Percy 2-8st 7lbs Sir F Johnstone 20/1
8 D'ESTOURNAL colt Jem Goater Gilbert 2-8st 10lbs Mr H Savile 7/1
9 ROSEBUD George Fordham John Porter 2-8st 7lbs Lord Stamford 5/1
This race, forerunner of the Chesham Stakes, took place on Wednesday 15th June 1881 and was won by a bay filly by Wenlock out of Black Lily to win 850 sovereigns from 55 subscribers (equivalent to £104,000 in 2020). Over round 130%
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