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 1931 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SIX WHEELER W Nevett Elsey Mr H F Clayton 20/1
2 TRUNCHEON C Ray De Mestre Mr F W Horlock 7/1
3 HOT BUN B Carslake Braime M J Wittouck 100/8
4 NORTH DRIFT S Wragg Vasey Mr Downing 15/2
5 EMPIRE BUILDER H Beasley Atty Persse Lady H McCalmont 33/1
6 ROSOLIO II J Sirett Molony Mr R S Clark 50/1
7 BUOYANT BACHELOR H Jelliss Jack Jarvis Mr Gordon 8/1
8 ENNIS BRIDGE F Field F Hartigan Major Bonsor 33/1
9 BROTHER-IN-LAW F Fox F Darling Mr J A Dewar 9/2 fav
10 SERVUS T Weston Lambton Lord Derby 33/1
11 LEONIDAS II C Elliott S Darling M M Boussac 33/1
12 YARN II S Donoghue I Anthony Mr A C Bostwick 50/1
13 GREASE PAINT H Wragg N Scobie Sir C Hyde 100/8
14 PRINCE PARADISE G Bezant Pratt Mr J A De Rothschild 100/9
15 CHORIST P Beasley Bruce Captain A S Wills 100/7
16 PLOT J Brennan J Gosden Mr J M Gosden 50/1
17 FLANGE J Dines Boyd-Rochfort Mr W Woodward 100/7
18 GASHMU T Lowrey C Waugh Mr J Austen 50/1
19 BURNSIDE C Richards T Cannon Sir W Gilbey 20/1
20 BRITISH SOLDIER G Richards Hogg Lord Glanely 20/1
21 BRANTWOOD F Lane Lawson Mr S Tattersall 50/1
22 RINMAHER T McCafferty W Jarvis Lord Harewood 33/1
23 SOL DE TERRE J Childs Boyd-Rochfort Mrs MacKean 20/1
24 NESTORIAN A Burns J Beary Mrs E Wallace 50/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 17th June 1931 and the winner was a brown colt by Tetrameter out of Vanentia Bay, won a first prize which had a first prize of 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £44,000 in 2020). Over round 139%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931