Chesterfield Cup

The Chesterfield Cup, joint fifth oldest race at Glorious Goodwood, along with the Nassau Stakes, is a handicap over 1 mile 1 furlong and 192 yards and was first run in 1839 when known as the Harkaway Cup, and again in 1840 when mysteriously known as the Goodwood Cup of 1839. A year later it became known by the more suitable title of Chesterfield Cup, later adjusted to the Chesterfield Stakes. The race was named after the sixth Earl of Chesterfield, George Stanhope who won 2 Goodwood Cups with Priam who he purchased after the colt had landed the 1830 Epsom Derby. The race was part of the Glorious Goodwood programme up until 1969, then was replaced by the Laurels Handicap over roughly the same distance, but confined to older horses, with the Chesterfield Cup moved to the next meeting in August. The Cup was reintroduced to the Festival programme in 1979 on the last day, but in 1983 became a stalwart of the opening day of the Festival, albeit under a variety of names dependant on its sponsor.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Chesterfield Cup, then known as the Harkaway Cup, was on Friday 2nd August 1839, was won by Lord Eglinton’s Bellona, beating Confusionee and The Corsair.
Chesterfield Cup 1886 Handicap 1 mile 2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 SARABAND C Wood 3-8st 5lbs (Hunphreys) Mr Childwick 5/1 fav
2 HOW'S THAT Jimmy Woodburn 3-6st 9lbs Mr W S Menzies 7/1
3 GONFALON W Robinson 3-6st 8lbs Mr G Lambert 100/8
4 MELTON Fred Archer 4-10st 6lbs Lord Hastings 100/12
5 KINSKY John Watts 3-9st 3lbs Colonel O J Crewe-Read 20/1
6 BIRD OF FREEDOM Fred Webb 4-9st 1lbs Mr Douglas Baird 100/7
7 LONELY Tom Cannon 4-8st 7lbs Lord Cadogan 100/7
8 CAMBUSMORE G Barrett 5-8st 3lbs Duke of Westminster 7/1
9 LOVED ONE Wilton 3-8st 0lbs Mr Manton 50/1
10 RAFFSELLO Crowther 5-7st 8lbs Chevalier Ginistrelli 50/1
11 LA CAISSIER Alsop 3-7st 7lbs Mr Childwick 100/1
12 RUNNYMEDE A White 4-7st 3lbs Mr H T Barclay 100/1
13 THEODORE F Barrett 3-7st 2lbs Mr Victor Sassoon 6/1
14 FULLERTON Howard 3-7st 1lb Sir George Chetwynd 50/1
15 LISBON Weedy 3-6st 13lbs General Owen Williams 100/7
16 WINE SOUR J Calder 3-6st 7lbs Mr Somers 100/1
This race took place on Wednesday 28th July 1886 and was a subscription race of 15 sovereigns each for all ages. THere were 33 subs and it was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £39,000 in 2021). Over round 109%