Royal Ascot: Royal Hunt Cup

The Royal Hunt Cup was established in 1843, originally contested on a right-handed course over 7 furlongs and 166 yards, although the race's distance was shortened to 7 furlongs and 155 yards in 1930, but was then extended to its present length in 1956. It is now run on a straight course on the second day of the Royal meeting, and usually features a large field. It is one of three perpetual trophies at the meeting, along with the Gold Cup and the Queen's Vase, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners.
Early history:- The inaugural running took place on Wednesday 14th June 1843 when won by Lord Chesterfield's Knight of the Whistle (5/1), with a triple dead-heat for second between Lord Milltown's Bourra Tomacha (20/1), Mr Balchin's Epaulette (20/1) and Colonel Peel's Garry Owen (12/1).
Royal Hunt Cup 1877 Handicap 7 furlongs 166 yards
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 CRADLE Hopkins Wadlow 4-6st 4lbs Lord Wilton 100/15
2 SUTTON Morbey William Goater 6-7st 7lbs Mr J Mannington 20/1
3 PRINCE GEORGE Gallon Alec Taylor 4-6st 12lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 20/1
4 WHITEBAIT Fred Archer W Reeves 6-8st 0lbs Captain G Sterling 6/1
5 HOPBLOOM Glover Moran 4-7st 9lbs Duke of Montrose 100/6
6 TIMOUR Wyatt Holden 4-7st 9lbs Mr Tom Cannon 100/1
7 JESTER C Archer Joe Cannon 4-7st 7lbs Lord Lonsdale 25/1
8 THE GHOST Huxtable Jousiffe 5-7st 6lbs Mr H Bird 33/1
9 ST LEGER Dodge Peter Price 5-7st 5lbs Mr W S Mitchell-Innes 20/1
10 GREY FRIAR J Macdonald Tom Brown 3-7st 4lbs Lord Anglesey 40/1
11 ROWLSTON J Edwards D Hughes 4-7st 4lbs Mr T Hughes 100/1
12 ERNEST Newhouse Kellow 3-7st 4lbs Mr E Hudson 100/1
13 CHANCELLOR F Jeffery J Martin 5-7st 2lbs Mr Rymill 100/1
14 RABAGAS II Chesterman Cornwall (Private) 3-6st 10lbs Mr Cornwall 50/1
15 ROSBACH Morgan Dover 3-6st 10lbs Lord Rosebery 100/6
16 TETRARCH W Macdonald Humphreys 4-6st 10lbs Lord Howe 25/1
17 GARTERLY BELL Heather Tom Brown 5-6st 9lbs Mr H M Harris 100/1
18 PIVONNET W Johnson Tom Jennings 3-6st 4lbs Count F De Lagrange 33/1
19 HELENA A Wood Robert Peck 3-6st 3lbs Duke of Westminster 10/1
20 STRATHMORE J E Jones Bates 3-5st 10lbs Mr R Jardine 5/2 fav
21 GETROFFEN Lemaire Joseph Hayhoe 3-5st 7lbs Mr Alex Baltazzi 40/1
22 PICCALILLI Greaves Wadlow 3-5st 7lbs Lord Bradford 50/1
This race took place on Wednesday 13th June 1877 and was won by a bay colt by See Saw out of Honeymoon, winning a first prize of 1220 sovereigns from 92 subscriptions (equivalent to £143,000 in 2020), which included a piece of plate valued at 200 sovereigns which was kept by the owner. Over round 125%
Royal Hunt Cup Handicap 1 mile 1843
      1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877