The Nell Gwyn Stakes commemorates Charles II’s favourite mistress. Naturally it is a race for fillies, at his beloved Newmarket, where he often held court to the frustration of more serious-minded ministers.
The restoration of the monarchy after the puritan Cromwellian era brought about a great upsurge in culture and frivolity, embodied by Charles’s lifestyle and also by a startling new development in the theatre – having females playing female roles for the first time. Nell Gwyn possessed beauty, wit and presence and took up acting, having gained an entrée into that world as an employee of former prostitute “Orange Moll”, who sold fruit and who knows what else inside theatres. Nell caught Charles’s eye and became his mistress – not a very exclusive club – and bore two of his many illegitimate children. He installed her at what is now Gwynne Cottage (her name has always been spelled variably) in Palace Street, Newmarket, conveniently adjacent to Charles’s royal palace.
Charles died in 1685, succeeded by his brother James II. Whether or not Charles used the famous words, “Let not poor Nelly starve” on his deathbed, James provided for her but she only lived for two more years.
NEWMARKET
Newmarket’s Nell Gwyn Stakes was first run in 1962, though there was a race with similar conditions the year before. It’s been a Group 3 for most of its existence. Henry Cecil and Frankie Dettori have had eight and seven winners respectively. Run over seven furlongs at the Craven meeting, like most races once regarded as Guineas trials it proves less of a pathway to classic success these days, when a racecourse appearance is not necessary to get a horse fit to run. That said, Cachet succeeded in doing the double in 2022.
EPSOM
A Nell Gwyn Stakes was introduced at Epsom’s August Bank Holiday meeting in 1947 (then at the beginning of the month). In the summer of 1667, before she got to know Charles II, Nell took time out from her acting duties to spend time with one of his rakish friends, Charles Saville, at his Epsom residence. In due course the King built a house for Nell there – Bramshott House, in the Market Place; it is now a Caffé Nero. The Epsom race carried on until 1969.