Two long-running Chesterfield races date back to the 6th Earl of Chesterfield (1805-66), known among family historians as “the racing earl”. When young he led the typical aristocratic lifestyle of racing, hunting, shooting, party-giving, gambling and losing. He was briefly Master of the Buckhounds in the government of Sir Robert Peel. He owned the 1843 Grand National winner Vanguard, and owned and bred the 1838 Oaks winner Industry.
The best horse he bred was Crucifix, unbeaten in a twelve-race career while in the ownership of Lord George Bentinck (qv), who paid 54 guineas for her and her elderly dam. Nine wins at two were followed by the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks, all at odds on. Crucifix won over £10,000.
GOODWOOD
The Chesterfield Cup – a mile and a quarter handicap – has been run at Glorious Goodwood since 1840 (a race with the same conditions had been run as the Harkaway Cup the year before). The 6th Earl had won two Goodwood Cups by then. Eventually it became a handicap. Sponsorship got in the way after 1969 and the race was moved to a late August meeting for ten years. After that the word Chesterfield was omitted from the race title more often than not until the Glorious meeting of 2021, when it was revived alongside the sponsor’s name. Now a £100,000 handicap, it shows there can be room for sponsors and heritage.
NEWMARKET
The Chesterfield Stakes for two-year-olds was founded at Newmarket in 1834 in honour of the Earl. It was a five-furlong race for two-year-olds at the July meeting. The unbeaten Crucifix (see above) won it in 1839.
On 8 July 1965 it was the first race in Britain to use starting stalls. Runners declined in the 1980s and after a few years as a handicap 1993 saw its final appearance in the programme book. Despite its loss, The Heath and the Horse (Cox, Oldrey & Nash) points out that the last five furlongs of the July Course are still known as the Chesterfield Course.
The Chesterfields’ family home at Bretby (qv) in Derbyshire had a race at Newmarket named after it from 1844 to 1996. Incidentally, the town of Chesterfield staged races between 1692-1877.