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 1920 Handicap 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CORNFIELD filly Joe Childs Alec Taylor Mr Watson 100/6
2 CHARLIES FANCY F Strydon Alf Sadler jnr Mr Hardy 100/6
3 CINDERELLA F Templeman Hogg Lord Lonsdale 9/4 fav
4 PRINCE ALMOND A Gardner P Hartigan Mr A Berry 100/6
5 DERVISH F Leach Leach Sir H Cunliffe-Owen 10/1
6 PORT ROYAL G Colling George Lambton Lord Derby 100/6
7 MARY GAUNT colt J Shatwell Tom Cannon Lord Dewar 100/6
8 HIGHLANDER G Hulme R C Dawson Mr C Hanbury 5/2
9 COEUR DE LION Steve Donoghue M Hartigan Mr J White 5/1
10 JUVENALIA F Lane C Leader Lord Lascelles 100/6
11 CAT'S EAR A Whalley Watson Mr A de Rothschild 100/6
12 THE YELLOW DWARF Brownie Carslake Atty Persse Sir H Meux 10/1
13 ARABASQUE F Bullock P Hartigan Lord Rosebery 100/6
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, over 5 furlongs for two-year-olds, took place on Tuesday 15th June 1920 and the winner was a bay filly by Bachelor's Double out of Cornfield, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 140%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
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1920