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 1922 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 FRED POWER Steve Donoghue Fred Darling Lord Woolavington 7/1
2 BRINKLOW C Elliott W Jarvis Major Bayley-Worthington 20/1
3 LADY DIANA R Jones Escott Mr J Dugdale 8/1
4 DOUBLE UP A Whalley F Hartigan Mr A B Walker 6/1
5 CHIVALROUS G Smith Cottrill Mrs S Whitburn 6/4 fav
6 CAVALIER Michael Beary Anthony Mr H Kershaw 20/1
7 ROMAN FIDDLE G Hulme Watson Mr Anthony De Rothschild 10/1
8 BROKEN FAITH F Fox Gooch Major H Cayzer 10/1
9 BROXA R Garce Pratt Mr J A De Rothschild 100/8
10 DESIRE R Stokes Nugent Mrs H Nugent 10/1
11 ZEPHYR Harry Wragg P Allden Mr G H Gilbey 20/1
12 LONDON PRIDE T Morgan Hastings Mrs E A Stanley 20/1
13 SYBARITE Charlie Smirke Smyth Mr H J Boem 20/1
14 SUN CURE H Leach Leach jnr Mrs W Beer 20/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 14th June 1922 and the winner was a chestnut colt by Charles O'Malley out of Ballycumber, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 142%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922