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 1926 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 ABBOT'S SPEED J Marshall Fred Darling Lord Dewar 100/12
2 DUMAS Joe Childs Hogg Mr G Hardy 6/1
3 SCOTS GREY W Alford France Mr S Unsue 100/16
4 HIDENNIS J Leach H Leader Mrs L Walker 11/2 fav
5 PALMA BAY T Weston Lambton Lord Wolverton 6/1
6 MARKET BASKET M Beary Reg Day Sir Abe Bailey 7/1
7 COMEDY KING F Lane Watts Mr Frank Curzon 8/1
8 LE GROS A Berry Walter Nightingall Mr T Blenkiron 10/1
9 KYRA F Fox Whitelaw Mr G Whitelaw 100/6
10 BROKEN FAITH R Stokes Gooch Mr W Read 100/6
11 LONGQUILL F Dempsey Pickering Lady Ludlow 100/6
12 SUN YAT SEN J Dines Cottrill Mrs S Whiteburn 100/6
13 GYGES K Robertson Pratt Mr J De Rothschild 100/6
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 16th June 1926 and the winner was a brown horse by Abbot's Trace out of Mary Gaunt, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 133%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
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1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926