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 1925 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 MONGOOSE R Perryman R Sherwood Captain J G Homfray 9/1
2 DEVONSHIRE A Burns Harper Mrs A Bendir 7/1
3 WATFORD A Smyth Wilmot Mr D I Wilson 100/8
4 HIGHBROW Tommy Weston Lambton Lord Derby 9/1
5 ARCADE Steve Donoghue Watson Mr A De Rothschild 6/1
6 FRATER B Carslake R Dawson HH Aga Khan 100/6
7 GREAT BARRIER C Elliott Jack Jarvis Sir G Bullough 100/6
8 KNOCHGORIFF H Beasley Sam Darling Mr A K Macomber 3/1 fav
9 BONDSMAN Michael Beary Reg Day Sir Abe Bailey 100/6
10 SEBASTIAN J Brennan Alec Taylor Mr S Tattersall 20/1
11 COMUS H Leach Leach snr Sir J Robinson 20/1
12 KENTISH GLADE W McLachlan jnr Cottrill Mrs S Whitburn 25/1
13 IRONBRIDGE A Orme Basil Jarvis Mr Basil Jarvis 10/1
14 SOLITARY J Sirett Walter Nightingall Mr A C Howeson 10/1
15 JEHOSAPHAT W Alford W Jarvis HM The King 100/8
16 RUFUS O'MALLEY D Morris Joe Cannon Sir P Newson 8/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 17th June 1925 and the winner was a chestnut horse by Hurry On out of Gaggle, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 148%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925