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 1938 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SPOT BARRED E Gardner Ireland Sir P Loraine 100/8
2 BLACK SPECK A Richardson N Cannon Mr J V Rank 9/4 fav
3 JONKER H Sprague Sneyd Sir H Lyons 20/1
4 SAMARKAND J Gilbert H Smyth Lady Penrhyn 20/1
5 GOLDEN MARTLET M Beary F S Butters Mrs H de Vere Clifton 25/1
6 ASTYANAX T Weston Lambton M M Boussac 100/7
7 PATH OF PEACE G Wells Hogg Lord Glanely 5/1
8 NOSEGAY P Maher R W Colling Mr V T Thompson 100/8
9 PYLON II J Crouch Holland Mrs S Bennett 100/8
10 COLUMCILLE H Wragg O Bell Lord Londonderry 6/1
11 BOOKSELLER G Richards Lawson Lord Astor 8/1
12 BEL AETHEL J Marshall Gilpin Duke of Norfolk 20/1
13 VELVET CUSHION E Smith M Marsh Mr M Marsh 25/1
14 LE CHICANEUR S Wragg Laye Mr R Cohen 100/8
15 SNAKE LIGHTING D Smith Gilpin Mr H Gray 100/8
16 MICKEY MOUSE K Robertson P Beary Lord Portman 100/8
17 RIME TOUT R Lacey Whitaker Miss Cowley 25/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 15th June 1938 and the winner was a bay gelding by Embargo out of White Spot, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1530 (equivalent to £105,000 in 2020). Over round 153%
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 1938