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 1981 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 RUSSIAN GEORGE P Cook Hunter Mr J Maxwell 10/1
2 LAFONTAINE M L Thomas C Brittain Mrs J Bigg 14/1
3 LE SOLEIL B Rouse H R Price PTP Plant Hire Ltd 25/1
4 GET STONED A McGlone L Cumani Fittocks Stud Ltd 10/1
5 COMMODORE BLAKE G Duffield M Stoute Mr J McCaughey 11/2
6 PEPPERY L Piggott Rohan Mr K Haren 5/1 fav
7 END OF WAR P Eddery J Tree Mr J Whitney 13/2
8 CLAUDIUS SECONDUS B Crossley M Jarvis Mr R Capon 7/1
9 PATH OF PEACE J Bleasdale C Thornton Miss L Gold 8/1
10 BALLYTOP J Matthias I Balding Mr J McDougald 10/1
11 RHYME ROYAL W Carson W Hern HM The Queen 12/1
12 JOHN O'GROATS S Cauthen J Winter Mr D Prenn 14/1
13 MAJESTIC MAHARAJ E Johnson J Hanson Mr R Ogden 20/1
14 SHADY NOOK S Raymont Dodd Mr H Blagrave 33/1
15 MAJOR GRUNDY S Payne I Balding Mr P Mellon 33/1
16 RIONORE J Lowe Ryan Mr W Guy 33/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 17th June 1981 and the winner was a chestnut horse by Hard To Beat out of Kirmidian, won a first prize of £7999 (equivalent to £31,000 in 2020). Over round 134%
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 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981