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 1962 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 BETTER HONEY G Littlewood G Fenningworth Lady Sassoon 10/1
2 MY STEEL W Snaith T Waugh Mrs David Robinson 100/7
3 HENRY'S CHOICE E Hide Beasley Mr W Harrison 8/1
4 BROCADE SLIPPER J Mercer R J Colling Mr Charles Clore 11/2 fav
5 SWORD HILT J Lindley Boyd-Rochfort Mrs C Iselin 7/1
6 TUDOR TALE W Rickaby Cottrill Mr P Winstone 8/1
7 HASTY CLOUD J Sime Wallington Mr G Walters 8/1
8 TEST CASE R Hutchinson J Jarvis Sir A Jarvis 100/9
9 ELF ARROW D Keith Stickley Miss F Newton-Deakin 100/7
10 ALPHELANDRA Breasley F Winter Mr A Walkling 100/6
11 HATTON GARDEN Foster G Todd General G St G Stedall 100/6
12 MENELEK D Smith G Brooke Major D McCalmont 20/1
13 RIGVADA D Guest F Armstrong Gaekwar of Baroda 20/1
14 MARCH ROSE D W Morris Gosden Mrs G Thompson 20/1
15 INDIAN CONQUEST Stirk Boyd Mr J Monk 25/1
16 APIARIAN Paul Tulk John Waugh Mrs R McAlpine 25/1
17 GOLDEN VOICE R P Elliott J Tree Mr J Whitney 25/1
18 PORT CORSAIR Russ Maddock Rohan Brig C Beckett 25/1
19 MARCHAIRY Wilson P Nelson Sir H Ingram 25/1
20 DRAKES HONEY R Reader B Foster Mr A Swift 25/1
21 RUNNING FLUSH D East Rohan Mr V Brunt 25/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 20th June 1962 and the winner was a brown horse by Honeyway out of Mieux Rouge, won a first prize which had a first prize of £1755 (equivalent to £38,000 in 2020). Over round 147%
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 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962