Duke of York Handicap explained

Class:Handicap
Horse Race:Duke of York Handicap
Location:Kempton Park,
Sunbury, England
Inaugurated:1892
Last Run:6 May 1960
Race Type:Flat / Thoroughbred
Website:Kempton Park
Distance:1¼ miles (2,012 metres)
Surface:Turf
Track:Right-handed
Qualification:Three-year-olds and up
(from 1892)
Three-year-olds only
(from 1952)
Weight:Handicap

The Duke of York Handicap was a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain. It was run at Kempton Park, usually over a distance of 1¼ miles (2,012 metres).

History

Established in 1892, the event was originally called the Duke of York Stakes.[1] It was named after Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V). The original version took place in October, and was open to horses aged three or older.

The Duke of York Stakes was initially contested over one mile.[2] It was extended by three furlongs in 1899,[3] and shortened by a furlong in 1900.[4]

For a period York staged a different Duke of York Stakes at the Ebor meeting in August. A middle-distance race for three-year-olds, it was won by Polymelus in 1905.[5] The same horse won Kempton's version the following year.[6]

The Kempton race was abandoned during World War I. It was renamed the Duke of York Handicap in 1921.[7]

A new event titled the Duke of York Handicap Stakes was introduced at York's May meeting in 1950.[8] The original Kempton version was not regularly contested after World War II, but it was revived with a modified format in 1952. From this point it was restricted to three-year-olds and held in May.[9]

Kempton's Duke of York Handicap continued to be run until 1960.[10] It was replaced by a similar event, the H. S. Persse Memorial Handicap, in 1961.[11] The York race, a six-furlong sprint,[12] was replaced by the current Duke of York Stakes in 1968.[13]

Winners

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Winners of the Duke of York Stakes . . 13 October 1902 . 28 April 2013.
  2. News: 1892 Duke of York Stakes . Glasgow Herald . 8 October 1892 . 28 April 2013.
  3. News: 1899 Duke of York Stakes . Glasgow Herald . 9 October 1899 . 28 April 2013.
  4. News: 1900 Duke of York Stakes . Glasgow Herald . 8 October 1900 . 28 April 2013.
  5. News: Yesterday's Winners (York) . Glasgow Herald . 31 August 1905 . 28 April 2013.
  6. News: Saturday's Winners (Kempton Park) . Glasgow Herald . 8 October 1906 . 28 April 2013.
  7. News: 1921 Duke of York Handicap . Glasgow Herald . 10 October 1921 . 28 April 2013.
  8. News: 1950 Duke of York Handicap Stakes (York) . Glasgow Herald . 18 May 1950 . 28 April 2013.
  9. News: 1952 Duke of York Handicap . Glasgow Herald . 9 May 1952 . 28 April 2013.
  10. News: 1960 Duke of York Handicap . Glasgow Herald . 6 May 1960 . 28 April 2013.
  11. News: 1961 H. S. Persse Memorial Handicap . Glasgow Herald . 5 May 1961 . 28 April 2013.
  12. News: 1966 Duke of York Handicap Stakes (York) . Glasgow Herald . 12 May 1966 . 28 April 2013.
  13. News: 1968 Duke of York Stakes (York) . Glasgow Herald . 16 May 1968 . 28 April 2013.