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 1908 Handicap 7 furlongs 166 yards
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer/Age/weight Owner
1 BILLY THE VERGER R Crisp Rooney 4-6st 13lbs Mr R B Dobell 100/9
2 POOR BOY F Wootton Charles Peck 3-6st 8lbs Mr Solly Joel 100/8
3 FORERUNNER II H Stokes Sir C Nugent 4-7st 8lbs Mr D R Browning 100/6
4 CHANDON H East East 3-6st 0lbs Mr A Simon 100/6
5 MALUA Danny Maher Fred Day 5-8st 13lbs Mr George Faber 10/1
6 SNOW LEOPARD L Hewitt Blackwell 4-7st 11lbs Baron Meyer De Rothschild 100/6
7 DEAN SWIFT Wal Griggs Morton aged-9st 5lbs Mr J B Joel 33/1
8 BALBRIGGAN C Heckford Beardsley 4-7st 6lbs Mr R P Wright 8/1
9 AID Walter Earl Major Morris 6-6st 6lbs Mr A S Soden 50/1
10 LAND LEAGUE Will Griggs Sherwood jnr 5-8st 5lbs Captain Homfray 33/1
11 SLIM LAD J Plant Rickard Marsh 4-6st 8lbs HM The King 25/1
12 DINNEFORD Otto Madden Alec Taylor 6-8st 10lbs Mr Reid Walker 25/1
13 RODNEY W Broadwood Peter Gilpin 3-7st 0lbs Mr P Gilpin 9/1
14 ANDOVER W Halsey Blaime aged-8st 12lbs Mr F Alexander 100/7
15 BEZONIAN W Higgs Blackwell 4-7st 12lbs Lord Rosebery 33/1
16 MONITOR J Horan Ephrussi (France) 3-7st 10lbs M Michael Ephrussi 100/6
17 DESMOND'S PRIDE J H Martin Peebles 4-7st 5lbs Mr W Rankin 100/14 fav
18 TEMERAIRE R Keeble Fred Darling 3-6st 12lbs Mr J Buchanan 25/1
19 DAMAGE H Gilroy Sherwood jnr 3-6st 7lbs Mr J B Thorneycroft 40/1
20 JEDDAH filly J Howard Sanderson jnr 3-6st 4lbs Mr J W Larnach 50/1
This race took place on Wednesday 17th June 1908 and was won by a chestnut colt by Avington out of Gold Flake, winning a first prize of 2620 sovereigns (equivalent to £326,000 in 2020), which included a piece of plate valued at 500 sovereigns which was kept by the owner. Over round 119%
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 1878 1879
1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908