Goodwood Cup

The Goodwood Cup is the oldest of all of the races held at the Glorious Goodwood meeting having been established in 1808 as the Silver Cup over 3 miles. The first three times the race was run it was won by Bucephalus, the Silver trophy being permanently awarded to his owner Mr Trevanion. This required a new Gold trophy to be made, which is still contested today, and the inaugural running of that event, the Goodwood Cup, took place in 1812. Although it was initially contested over 3 miles, it was then reduced to 2 miles 5 furlongs, while in 1971 it became a Group 2 race. In 1985 it was degraded to Group 3 level, and by 1990 its distance was reduced to 2 miles 4 furlongs. In 1991 it was reduced still further to 2 miles, but by 1995 it had regained its Group 2 status and then, in 2017, it was promoted to Group 1. It is now firmly established as the second leg of the Stayers’ Triple Crown, sandwiched between the Ascot Gold Cup and the Doncaster Cup, and is traditionally held on the opening day of the 5-day meeting.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Gold Cup was on Monday 4th May 1812 when Mr Cope’s 4-year-old chestnut Shoestrings beat the 6-year-olds Smallhopes and Hylas.
Goodwood Cup 1845 Group 1 2 miles 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 MISS ELIS Walter Abdale John Barham Day 3-7st 0lbs Lord George Bentinck 2/1 jt fav
2 WEATHERBIT Whitehouse 3-7st 4lbs Mr Gully 2/1 jt fav
3 MY OLD HACK T Lye 3-7st 5lbs Sir Charles Monck 20/1
4 DISCORD W Howlett aged-9st 12lbs Lord George Bentinck 50/1
5 ST LAWRENCE John Day aged-9st 7lbs Mr Gully 12/1
6 GORHAMBURY J Howlett 5-8st 13lbs Mr H Davis 50/1
7 ROWENA Charles Marson 4-8st 6lbs Mr Andrew Johnstone 50/1
8 AKBAR J Chapple 4-8st 5lbs Sir George Heathcote 15/1
9 VALERIAN F Butler 4-8st 1lb Mr Vane 6/1
10 ARUNDO Nat Flatman 4-7st 12lbs Colonel Anson 15/1
11 DRUMMER E Flatman 5-7st 5lbs Baron Nathan de Rothschild 50/1
12 LAIRD O'COCKPEN Esling 3-6st 12lbs Duke of Richmond 50/1
This race took place on Thursday 31st July 1845 and was a subscription race of 20 guineas each. There were 48 subscribers, and it was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £39,000 in 2021). Over round 115%

The 1845 Goodwood Cup represents King Charles II presenting the first Gold Cup, height 24 inches and weight 350 ounces, as a race prize at Newmarket to Lord Stanley beside his winning horse Ithuriel, instead of a Pair of Bells which had previously been the normal prize to present to the winner. The horse on which the King is mounted is one of the magnificent animals given to His Majesty by the Emperor of Russia.