Royal Ascot: Gold Cup

The Ascot Gold Cup was established in 1807 in the presence of King George III and Queen Charlotte, and it was originally open to horses aged three or older. The inaugural winner, Master Jackey, was awarded prize money of 100 Guineas. The Gold Cup is now the first leg of Britain's Stayers' Triple Crown, alongside the Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup, with Double Trigger being the most recent winner of all 3 races in 1995. The Gold Cup is one of just 3 perpetual trophies at the Royal meeting, along with the Royal Hunt Cup and the Queen's Vase, which are kept permanently by the winning owners.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Gold Cup was on Thursday 11th June 1807 when Mr Durand’s 3-year-old chestnut colt Master Jackey beat Hawk (3-y-o), Miss Coiner (6-y-o) and Sir Peregrine (4-y-o).
Gold Cup 1908 Group 1 2 miles 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 THE WHITE KNIGHT W Halsey H Sadler W R Wyndham 4/7 fav
2 RADIUM Otto Madden Watson Leopold De Rothschild 11/2
3 TORPOINT W Higgs Alec Taylor Mr Washington Singer 9/1
4 GOLDEN MEASURE Danny Maher Major Edwards Mr J Buchanan 100/7
5 MAGELLAN Wal Griggs Thorne (France) Mr T Thorne 10/1
6 PEACE WITH HONOUR J H Martin H Sadler Mr W R Wyndham 50/1
This race took place on Thursday 18th June 1908 starting at the half mile post on the New Mile, and going once round; the winner, a bay horse by Desmond out of Pella won a first prize of 3250 sovereigns (equivalent to £404,000 in 2020). Over round 106%
I am grateful to Mary O'Byrne, granddaughter of William and daughter of Claude Halsey, for the photograph shown below
Gold Cup Group 1 2 miles 4 furlongs
              1807 1808 1809
1810 1811 1812 1813 1814 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819
1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829
1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839
1840 1841 1842 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