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 1927 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 LULWORTH COVE F Fox Gooch Lady Curzon 5/1 fav
2 GRASSMORE Henri Jelliss A Taylor Mr Washington Singer 8/1
3 KING'S PARADE Gordon Richards Hogg Mr A Douglas-Pennant 100/7
4 ATHOS P Beasley Captain Beatty Mr S R Lord 20/1
5 WHITE ORB J Marshall S Wootton Mr W Barnett 6/1
6 BANSTAR C Elliott S Darling Mr M M Boussac 8/1
7 SUN GOD II C Bartholomew France Mr A K Macomber 25/1
8 JOY RIDER J Sirett Jack Jarvis Lord Rosebery 20/1
9 LORD PRESTO T Weston Frank Butters Lord Derby 20/1
10 GIOVANNI G Baines Pratt Mr J A De Rothschild 20/1
11 SILVERSTEAD R Perryman Walter Nightingall Mrs C Rich 33/1
12 BURNSIDE M Beary Tom Cannon Sir W Gilbey 25/1
13 SEA PEARL Steve Donoghue Higgs Mr W A Higgs 10/1
14 THE CHEETAH J Caldwell Fred Darling Lord Dewar 7/1
15 BESSBOROUGH K Robertson Basil Jarvis Mr W R Lysaght 33/1
16 REGALO A Burns Cundell Mrs Lawrence 33/1
17 MAGNUM BONUM W Alford W Jarvis HM The King 20/1
18 NEM SOHA A Berry M Hartigan Mrs Hartigan 100/7
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 15th June 1927 and the winner was a bay horse by Sunstar out of Elisalexi, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 129%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
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1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927