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 1937 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 GAMESMASTER P Maher George Todd Mr H Lester 100/6
2 HAULFRYN G Richards Lynes Mr F C Minoprio 100/7
3 DYTCHLEY J Sirett Boyd-Rochfort Mr R Tree 100/7
4 THE FONT S Wragg P Beary Lord Portman 100/6
5 PRUDENT ACT W Christie M Peacock Sir T Dixon 100/6
6 ATOUT ROYAL D Smith Houghton Christie Miller 25/1
7 ORICHALQUE J Crouch Beatty Lord Dufferin 100/6
8 SLIEVE MISH J Power T E Leader Mr Landale Wilson 25/1
9 SAMARKAND W Wing Douglas-Pennant Lady Penrhyn 25/1
10 CITADEL W Sibbritt I Anthony Mrs Arthur James 100/7
11 MANSUR B Carslake Beatty Mr A K Macomber 13/2
12 LAW COURT J Marshall W Nigthingall Colonel F Halse 10/1
13 PETIT BLEU Ken Gethin Gilbert Captain Barnes 100/6
14 SOLITAIRE J Taylor H Peacock Sir E Hoyle 100/6
15 PEGOMAS W Nevett Carr Mr E Ashworth 5/1 fav
16 BARRYSTAR T Lowrey M Marsh Mr Shenstone 33/1
17 FEDOR C Richards Skeens Mr Skeens 33/1
18 PRINCE ACHILLE S Donoghue F Hartigan Mr M Wertheimer 33/1
19 SEVERINO T Weston Lawson Sir Abe Bailey 11/2
20 FONDS DE CAISSE P Evans R J Colling Mrs Smith-Bingham 33/1
21 SPINALOT F Sharpe H Leader Mr J Ramsden 33/1
22 PATRIOT KING B Lynch F Pratt Mr J De Rothschild 25/1
23 SATANIC H Foster B Jarvis Major J S Courtauld 25/1
24 REEFER K Robertson N Scobie Sir C Hyde 100/7
25 LOST SCENT A Sharples S Wootton Mr S Wootton 100/7
26 NEXUS H Blackshaw J Jarvis Mr E Esmond 33/1
27 VANVITELLI A Richardson W Jarvis Lord Harewood 25/1
28 ST BOTOLPH H Sprague Digby Mr F Dennis 33/1
29 MAGNETIQUE E Smith Barling Lord Ellesmere 20/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 16th June 1937 and the winner was a chestnut gelding by Diophon out of Miss Sport, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1715 (equivalent to £121,000 in 2020). Over round 177%
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 1936 1937