Royal Ascot: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes

The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes is a flat handicap over 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards open to horses of three-year-old and up. The race was previously known as the Bessborough Stakes and was named after John George Brabazon Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough, who was Master of the Buckhounds on three occasions between 1848 and 1858 under Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen and Lord Palmerston. The first race under the original name of the Bessborough Stakes, was a five-furlong race for two-year-olds run on Tuesday 16th June 1914. The title was later bestowed on a mile and a half handicap race at the same meeting. In 1999 the race was renamed in honour of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, although the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes had previously been used for a two-year-old race at Ascot, with Sea Pigeon a former winner who later landed the Champion Hurdle.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Bessborough Stakes, a forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, was over 5 furlongs on Tuesday 16th June 1914 when Mr W Astor's Good and Gay (100/8) defeated Rossendale (10/1), Scotch Rose (100/6) and 13 others by a head and 2 lengths.
Bessborough Stakes 1919 Handicap 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 HE GOES N Spear Joseph Butters Mrs H Whitworth 20/1
2 TETRAMETER G Hulme Atty Persse Sir H McCalmont 7/1
3 PLUNKETTE Brennan Alec Taylor Mr W Astor 20/1
4 LACROSSE Brownie Carslake Loates Mr Solly Joel 4/9 fav
5 MARCOVIL colt Joe Childs Alec Taylor Mr W Cazalet 20/1
6 MOUNT ROYAL F Leach Leach Mr Cunliffe-Owen 9/2
7 GREAT SEAL G Colling George Lambton Lord Derby 20/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, over 5 furlongs for two-year-olds, took place on Tuesday 17th June 1919 and the winner was a brown colt by Prince Palatine out of Teronia, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 118%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919