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 1948 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 LAS VEGAS C Elliott G Colling Mr A Glenister 20/1
2 SIGNALMAN J Marshall Bisgood Major G Whitelaw 10/1
3 THE GOVERNOR T Gosling Barling Mrs D Steel 100/8
4 AVIGNON K Gethin Hardy Mrs E L Garner 7/2 jt fav
5 FIND THE LADY W Nevett M Peacock Duke of Roxburghe 7/2 jt fav
6 HONOURABLE II W Johnstone Blagrave Mr H G Blagrave 10/1
7 DESERT DRIVE E Britt F Armstrong Lord Carnarvon 10/1
8 ANWAR P Maher Frank Butters HH Aga Khan 100/8
9 STUART T Weston Cannon Mr J Rank 100/8
10 EASTERN LYRIC P Evans Feakes Mr A B Askew 100/8
11 GLENDOWER C Smirke N Murless Mrs Macdonald Buchanan 100/7
12 KILBELIN BOY J Sirett Wallington Mr P D Sleeman 100/6
13 REFRESHER Littlewood Perryman Mr S Joel 20/1
14 HIGH BEACON C Richards Nightingall Col F T Halse 20/1
15 MOIDORE M Beary Denistoun Mr J De Pret-Roose 20/1
16 STANDERTON T Hawcroft Blackmore Mrs C L Breeder 33/1
17 RUBENS II S Wragg Laye Mr S F Raphael 33/1
18 SAVERNAKE Lister F S Butters Mr K G Durrant 33/1
19 MARSHMALLOW E Smith W Smyth Lord Rosebery 33/1
20 LE JONGIEUR Haynes S Ingham Mr S Wootton 33/1
21 HADJI Greening de Moraville Major J Houstoun-Boswall 33/1
22 TONY LUMPKINS Packham W Payne Col R Moseley 33/1
23 LACOVEDIS J Sime Beary Mr D Morris 33/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 16th June 1948 and the winner was a bay colt by His Grace out of Windrush, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1000 (equivalent to £37,000 in 2020). Over round 160%
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 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948