Stewards' Cup

The Stewards’ Cup, fourth oldest race at the Glorious Goodwood meeting, is a handicap over 6 furlongs and is traditionally held on the final day of the 5-day meeting, although up to 1992 it was staged on the opening day. In 1833 one of the Senior Stewards at the meeting was given the honour of choosing any race at the meeting to present an annual Stewards trophy, occasionally selecting a sprint race of 6 furlongs, but from time to time a race up to 1 mile 4 furlongs was selected. Then, in 1839, Lord George Bentinck, later appointed Senior Steward to the Jockey Club in July 1845, suggested that the Stewards’ Cup should be perpetually run over 6 furlongs, and the inaugural race was held in 1840.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Stewards' Cup was on Friday 31st July 1840 when Mr Bowes’s 6-year-old chestnut Epirus beat Mus and Euclid.
Stewards' Cup 1843 Handicap 6 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 YORKSHIRE LADY Kitchener 4-6st 4lbs Lord George Bentinck 20/1
2 BALAENA Abdale 4-7st 0lbs Duke of Richmond 7/2
3 AFRICAN W Howlett 4-6st 12lbs Lord George Bentinck 3/1 fav
4 GARRY OWEN Marlow 6-9st 10lbs Mr Byng 8/1
5 DIL-BAR Nat Flatman 4-8st 10lbs Lord Chesterfield 8/1
6 POLICY Bell 4-8st 10lbs Mr Forth 10/1
7 PALLADIUM Sam Darling 4-8st 5lbs Mr Etwall 10/1
8 EPAULETTE C Balchin 4-7st 8lbs Mr Balchin 20/1
9 ZELIA West 3-7st 8lbs Lord Palmerston 20/1
10 REMNANT S Mann aged-7st 8lbs Sir W W Wynn 20/1
11 IMAGE J Chapple 5-7st 4lbs Colonel Peel 9/1
12 ARISTIDES Noble 3-7st 4lbs Lord Eglinton 10/1
13 TIPTOE Simpson 4-7st 0lbs Lord Chesterfield 10/1
14 VELOCIPEDE Colt J Howlett 3-6st 9lbs General Wyndham 20/1
15 TOMMY T Day 4-6st 4lbs Mr King 20/1
16 VALETTA Sharp 3-5st 9lbs Mr Etwall 9/1
17 GLAUCE Planner 3-5st 0lbs Colonel Wyndham 20/1
This race took place on Wednesday 26th July 1843 and was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £41,000 in 2021) when there were 31 subscribers. Over round 160%

Bell's Life and the Sporting Chronicle of July 1843 provided a description of the 1843 Setwards' Cup, detailing 'The exquisite piece of workmanship from the establishment of Messrs. Mortimer & Hunt of Bond Street, London, is a splendid group in frosted and burnished silver, representing the famous flight of Mazeppa recorded by Voltaire and immortalized by Byron. The horse shown on the trophy is a true 'Tartar of the Ukrainian breed' flying through the desert upon the pinions of the wind, with his helpless rider bound on his back and encircled by a pack of hungry wolves that glare upon their fanicful prey.' The weight of the prize is 300 ounces.