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 1935 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CARIFF W Nevett M Peacock Sir T Dixon 10/1
2 ROCK STAR F Sharpe F Pratt Mr J A De Rothschild 100/7
3 THE FONT M Beary P Beary Lord Portman 20/1
4 GAMESMASTER T Barber G Todd Mr H Lester 100/7
5 SYMPTOM J Dines Barling Mr J Hoboken 10/1
6 BIRD'S EYE D Smith Sneyd Lady V Henderson 100/8
7 ARMOUR BRIGHT J Caldwell R J Colling Mr R J Colling 5/2 fav
8 ALISHAH S Donoghue Frank Butters HH Aga Khan 10/1
9 DISARMAMENT R Perryman Elsey Captain C F Elsey 20/1
10 QUAI D'ORSAY G Richards F Hartigan Mr R Kahn 9/1
11 EASTER RUSH E Smith Jack Jarvis Mr E Esmond 100/9
12 SATSUMA T Weston Lawson Sir Abe Bailey 100/8
13 FILLIP H Foster Higgs Mr C Howard 20/1
14 NORTH DEVON J Sirett Hogg Lord Glanely 20/1
15 PHOEBUS A Richardson Templeman Lord Hirst 6/1
16 LOVE TIE T Ryan H Leader Lady Bullough 20/1
17 ROUMELI G Nicoll Boyd-Rochfort Mr M Field 20/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, otook place on Wednesday 19th June 1935 and the winner was a brown colt by Achtoi out of Carnlough, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1450 (equivalent to £105,000 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 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935