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 1842 Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 RETRIEVER Murphy 6-7st 11lbs Major Hay 14/1
2 GIVE HIM A NAME Halls 4-6st 9lbs Lord Kelburne 12/1
3 DADDY LONGLEGS Esling 3-6st 0lbs Mr Shelley 15/1
4 GALAOR Sam Darling 4-8st 9lbs Mr Vansittart 50/1
5 ST LAWRENCE John Day junior 5-8st 9lbs Mr John Day 9/2
6 WELFARE Nat Flatman 5-8st 4lbs Mr Greville 7/1
7 BELLISSIMA S Rogers aged-7st 13lbs Mr Sadler 50/1
8 PLENIPOTENTIARY Brother Bartholomew 6-7st 4lbs Mr Rush 50/1
9 KNIGHT OF THE WHISTLE Francis 4-7st 4lb Lord Chesterfield 4/1 fav
10 STUDLEY ROYAL S Mann 4-7st 2lbs Mr Harrison 50/1
11 SEAHORSE J Chapple 3-7st 0lbs Colonel Peel 25/1
12 HELPMATE T Lye 6-6st 13lbs Mr Graydon 11/1
13 UNA J Howlett 4-6st 11lbs Mr Gregory 20/1
14 BOSPHORUS Pettit 6-6st 11lbs Lord Exeter 25/1
15 THE POCKET VIPER Crouch 4-6st 9lbs Mr Stirling 50/1
16 BRACELET W Howlett aged-6st 9lbs Lord March 12/1
17 ARCANUS Sly 3-6st 7lbs Mr F Clarke 50/1
18 VAKEEL Simpson 3-6st 4lbs Sir W M Stanley 50/1
19 LUCY BANKS H Bell 3-6st 4lbs Mr Forth 14/1
20 PROOF PRINT Sharp 3-5st 3lbs Lord George Bentinck 50/1
This race took place on Wednesday 27th July 1842 and was a subscription race of 25 sovereigns each. There were 151 subscribers and it was valued at 300 guineas (equivalent to £42,000 in 2021) Over round 123%