Goodwood Stakes

The Goodwood Stakes (Handicap) is the second oldest race still staged at the Glorious Goodwood Festival having first been run in 1823 in its current format. However, some might claim that it is the oldest race, since a Goodwood Stakes over 2 miles was staged at the 1811 meeting, a year before the inaugural running of the present day Goodwood Cup, while others would assert that a Goodwood Silver Cup was first held in 1808. It is a handicap for 3-year-olds and above over 2miles 5 furlongs, although it has fluctuated between 2 miles 5 furlongs and 2 miles throughout its history, and is currently contested over 2 miles 4 furlongs and 134 yards, making it a wonderful spectacle for the crowd, as it starts in front of the stands and is the longest presently run at the Festival.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Goodwood Stakes was on Tuesday 12th August 1823 when the Duke of Richmond's Dandizette defeated Lord Egremont's Young Gohanna colt, although on the same card the Old Goodwood Club Stakes saw Lord Egremont’s Elfrid beat Mr C Day's Victorine.
Goodwood Stakes 1840 Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 ORELIA Percy 4-6st 9lbs Mr Allen 10/1
2 HETMAN PLATOFF Bill Scott 4-9st 7lbs Mr Bowes 3/1 fav
3 GLENLIVAT W Howlett 4-7st 1lbs Duke of Richmond 7/1
4 THE DRAMA S Mann 4-6st 10lbs Mr Shelley 50/1
5 DOMINO Cotton 4-9st 0lbs Lord Albemarle 12/1
6 THE POTENTATE T Lye aged-8st 13lbs Lord Eglinton 25/1
7 MENDIZABAL P Conolly aged-8st 10lbs Mr Thornhill 12/1
8 JOANNINA Jem Robinson 5-8st 3lbs Lord Jersey 20/1
9 ADRIAN E Edwards 6-8st 1lb Mr Arnold 20/1
10 MICKLETON MAID Nat Flatman 4-7st 13lbs Mr Bowes 8/1
11 POCKET HERCULES Wakefield 6-7st 9lbs Mr W Ley 20/1
12 PLUTO Pettit 4-6st 8lbs Mr Goodman 50/1
13 FORLORN HOPE H Bell 4-6st 4lbs Mr Theobald 50/1
14 NONGIFTED Stagg 3-5st 6lbs Colonel Wyndham 50/1
15 HALF-CASTE West 3-5st 4lbs Lord George Bentinck 50/1
This race took place on Wednesday 29th July 1840 and was a subscription race of 25 sovereigns each. There were 127 subscribers and it was valued at 300 guineas (equivalent to £42,000 in 2021) Over round 102%