The City and Suburban Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 17 yards (2,027 metres) at Epsom in April during the Epsom Spring meeting. Inaugurated in 1851 it originally attracted top-class racehorses in the 19th and early 20th century; today its importance has been eclipsed by larger stakes races with more valuable purses.

History The City and Suburban Handicap and its companion race, the Great Metropolitan Handicap, were devised by London hosteler Samuel Powell Beeton who owned The Dolphin in Cheapside. The establishment was well known for gambling and was dubbed "the Tattersalls of the east end" by the racing public. In 1846 Beeton and a collection of other tavern owners (known collectively as the "Licensed Victuallers of London") raised £300 to establish a purse for the first running of the Great Metropolitan Handicap. The race was popular with the city betting houses and by 1851 Beeton had raised additional money by drafting subscriptions from both city and suburban gambling houses to establish a second race on Epsom Downs, the City and Suburban.

The inaugural race was run on 4 April 1851 where it was open to three-year-old and older horses of either sex that had won a stakes race worth at least 200 sovereigns in their career. The winner was required to pay £10 out of the purse to the Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society, a fund and charity for retired British pub owners. The first running was held on the New Derby course at a mile and a quarter and was close match between Lord Eglinton's 5-year-old horse Elthiron sired by Pantaloon and Mr. Carew's mare Eva, Elthiron winning by a head in two minutes and 25 seconds. Hostelers contributed to the winnings purse until 1853 when the Betting Houses Act outlawed gambling in taverns and public houses.

The Handicap attracted some top-class racehorses in the late 19th and first half of the 20th century. Several British Classic race winners such as Virago, (1,000 Guineas), Reve d'Or (Oaks), Sefton (Derby), Bend Or (Derby), Robert the Devil (St. Leger) and Black Jester (St. Leger) won the race. The American-bred gelding Parole also won the City and Suburban and the Great Metropolitan Handicaps on consecutive days in 1879. The caliber of entries has declined in recent years and the City and Suburban is currently not a graded stakes race.

In 1916 during World War I, turf activities at Epsom were curtailed and many of the spring races were run elsewhere. The equivalent of the City and Suburban, dubbed the "Suburban" Handicap was run at Lingfield Park in June and was won by Lord Carnarvon's colt Julian. The race was not held in 1917 and 1918 due to the war and was canceled in 1921 due to concerns over petrol and coal availability. At the onset of World War II, the racing meetings at Epsom Downs were suspended in 1940 and did not resume until the summer of 1946. The City and Suburban was reinstated at Epsom on 5 August 1946 to allow time for the course to be refurbished after the long hiatus.

Winners The race has been won by several mares including the Oaks winner Reve d'Or. The first mare to win the City and Suburban was Butterfly in 1852 and the last was Starlet in 1990. The race was open to three-year-old horses in its early years, with the last three-year-old winner under the race's formal title being Mushroom (1911) and the last under provisional title, the "Suburban" Handicap, being Julian (1916).

Records Leading jockey (6 wins): Morny Cannon: Reve d'Or (1890), Nunthorpe (1891), Reminder (1895), Worcester (1896), Newhaven II (1899), The Grafter (1900) 5 wins: Fred Archer: Thunder (1876), Julius Caesar (1878), Parole (1879), Master Kildare (1880), Bend Or (1881)

1851–1911

Year Winner Age Jockey Owner Time Ref 1851 Elthiron 5 Marlow Lord Eglinton 2:25.00 1852Butterfly3KendallMr. Henry2:16.00 1853Ethelbert3WellsMr. Oliver2:20.00 (dh) 1854Virago3WellsMr. Howard2:15.00 1855Ireland's Eye5WellsH. Hill 1856Hospitality3BullockMr. Ridley1857Adamas3FordhamMr. Mellish1858Madame de Chantilly4SpreotyCount Lagrange1859Glenbuck3J. AdamsCaptain Grey 1860Comforter4Henry CustanceSir H. des Vceux1861Cantine5L. SnowdenLord Ailesbury 1862Sawcutter4Tom ChalonerMr. R. C. Naylor1863Adventurer4NobleMr. J. Gilby 1864Merry Hart4MorganLord Westmoreland 1865Argonaut6WellsJoseph Hawley1866Delight3KenyonC.H. Carew 1867Abergeldie4HuxtableMr. F. Swindell 1868Speculum3CameronDuke of Newcastle1869Alpenstock3JeffreyMr. Bevill 1870Sabinus3RowellWilliam Graham1871Jack Spigot3CrickmereJ. Parry1872Digby Grand4F. WebbMr. Keswick1873Mornington5MordanMr. Brayley2:14.00 1874Aldrich3MorbeyLord Rosebery1875Dalham4MillsMr. T. Smith1876Thunder6Fred ArcherMr. H.F.C. Vyner1877Julius Caesar4Fred ArcherMr. T. Gee1878Sefton3GallonMr. W. S. Crawford1879Parole6Fred ArcherPierre Lorillard1880Master Kildare5Fred ArcherLord Hastings1881Bend Or4Fred Archer1st Duke of Westminster2:07.001882Passaic4WestonLord Rossmore1883Roysterer5GallonLord Rosebery1884Quicklime5TomlinsonLord Bradford1885Bird of Freedom3F. BarrettMr. Tidy1886Royal Hampton4Charles WoodMr. Childwick1887Merry Duchess5Sam LoatesT.L. Wardle2:11.20 1888Fullerton5J. WoodburnSir G. Chetwynd1889Goldseeker4Tom Cannon, Jr.Mr. Leybourne1890Reve d'Or6Morny CannonDuke of Beaufort1891Nunthorpe5Morny CannonColonel North2:20.001892Buccaneer4George BarrettLord Rosslyn1893King Charles4GoughMr. Taylor King1894Grey Leg3BradfordDuke of Westmoreland2:13.201895Reminder4Morny CannonTom Cannon, Sr.1896Worcester6Morny CannonBarney Barnato1897Balsamo4Otto MaddenDuke of Devonshire1898Bay Ronald5W. BradfordMr. L. Brassey 2:09.201899Newhaven II6Morny CannonMr. W. Cooper2:18.001900The Grafter7Morny CannonMr. J. Clarke2:11.60 1901Australian Star5W. HalseyMr. S. Gollan 2:10.801902First Principal5W. BrayMr. Stedall 2:07.601903Brambilla3ThompsonM Ephrussi1904Robert le Diable5W. LaneLord Carnarvon 2:08.601905Pharisee6Danny MaherSir J. Miller 2:07.001906Dean Swift5H. RandellJ.B. Joel 2:06.201907Velocity5Herbert JonesMrs. H.V. Jackson 2:09.201908Dean Swift7RandallJ.B. Joel 2:11.601909White Eagle4W. SaxbyMr. W. Hall Walker 2:07.201910Bachelor's Double4C. TriggJ. Lowry 2:09.601911Mushroom3W. HuxleyMr. T. Barling 2:05.60

1912–1987

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time Ref1912Chili II4W. HuxleyP. HartiganMr. R. Mills2:06.801913Drinmore5F. CheshireP. HartiganMr. G. Edwarde2:09.20 1914Maiden Erlegh5W. GriggsC. PeckMr. Sol Joel2:05.00 1915Black Jester4W. HuxleyCharles MortonJack Joel2:06.80 1916Julian*3Vic. SmythRichard DawsonLord Carnarvon2:07.40 1917no race1918no race1919Royal Banks6Steve DonoghueRobert SievierLady Queensbury2:16.40 1920Corn Sack4A. BaldingGilpinSir Ernest Paget 2:19.20 1921no race*1922Paragon5ArchibaldGilpinSir Ernest Paget 2:06.80 1923Dry Toast4J. TownsendErnest PiggottB.B. Davidson 2:10.40 1924Ulula7W.H. McLachlanBartholomew, Jr.Lady Torrington 2:17.40 1925Greek Bachelor5J. SirettStanley WoottonStanley Wootton 2:05.60 1926Warden of the Marches4Steve DonoughueFred DarlingLord Lyonsdale 2:11.20 1927Embargo5Steve DonoughueF. ScottMaharaja of Rajpipla 2:05.00 1928Priory Park6Brownie CarslakeC. PeckJack Joel 2:09.00 1929Parwiz4Michael BearyRichard DawsonThe Aga Khan 2:05.60 1930Lucky Tor5Gordon RichardsLawsonW.M.G. Singer 2:05.40 1931Anthurium4LynchPrattJames A. de Rothschild 2:10.40 1932Clogheen4C. RichardsGilbertMrs. C. Jones 2:15.00 1933Great Scot7CollinsFergussonChester Beatty 2:05.00 1934Light Sussex4Harry WraggElseyMajor C. Behrens 2:10.60 1935Montrose5Gordon RichardsFred DarlingLord Woolavington 2:06.60 1936His Reverence5T. BurnsWellesleyG.F. Annesley and J. Wellesley 2:10.60 1937William of Valence5PackhamH. SmythMr. A Sainsbury 2:14.001938Pigskin6C. RichardsLawsonMrs. Chester Beatty 2:05.80 1939Bistolfi4Harry WraggCaptain BellMrs. Lionel Corbett 2:06.40 1940–1945no race1946Hobo*4Eph SmithJack JarvisLord Rosebery 2:04.20 1947Banco4T. BurnW. SmythDuchess of Norfolk 2:17.00 1948Fast Soap5Eph SmithGordon Johnson-HoughtonA.A. Jarvis 2:08.20 1949Impeccable5Gordon RichardsJ.B. PowellMr. R. McIlhagga 2:07.20 1950Iron Duke4Edgar BrittMarcus MarshMr. Gibson2:11.00 1951Burnt Brown5W.T. EvansN.C. ScobleMrs. S. Jacobson2:07.60 1952Sunny Brae4E. FordyeeD. SmithMrs. J.A. de Rothschild2:19.60 1953Damremont6Jimmy LindleyT.R. RimellT.H. Degg2:09.80 1954Sunny Brae6W. ElliotD. SmithMrs. J.A. de Rothschild2:08.20 1955Coronation Year4Doug SmithA. ThomasA.J. Thomas2:07.20 1956Great Pacha6Doug Smithtrained in IrelandThe Maharani of Baroda2:08.20 1957Coronation Year6Doug SmithA. ThomasA.J. Thomas2:08.00 1958Setting Star6S. ClaytonDick HernMajor L.B. Holliday2:10.00 1959Guersillus4Edward HideCharles ElseyPhil Bull2:12.00 1960Firestreak4Lester PiggottPeter NelsonMr. John Lewis2:07.40 1961Nerograph5T. CarterG. ToddT.F.C. Frost2:08.00 1962Eastern Nip4Bruce RaymondW. StephensonMajor L. Gardener2:10.00 1963Tahiri4S. ClaytonTowser GosdenSir Harold Wernher2:10.20 1964The Bo'Sun4S. SmithJack JarvisLord Rosebery2:21.04 1965Minor Portion4Jimmy Lindley Jeremy Tree Sir P. Dunn 2:12.31 1966no race1967Hotroy6Duncan KeithWalter Nightingall Mr A. Kennedy 2:10.96 1968My Swanee5Lester PiggottBill Marshall Mrs L. Napier 2:11.16 1969Karabas4Lester PiggottBernard van CutsemLord Iveagh 2:12.71 1970Granados4Frankie DurrGeoffrey BarlingMr. E. Benjamin2:13.50 1971Tandy5Lester Piggott Brian SwiftMr B. Shine 2:07.02 1972Owen Anthony8T. McKeown Douglas Smith Mr A. Samuel 2:12.14 1973Buss4Geoff Lewis Arthur Budgett Mr L. van Moppes 2:11.16 1974Belper5Wille Carson John Dunlop Lady Manton 2:07.49 1975Swell Fellow4Tony Kimberley Jeremy Hindley Lord J. Crichton-Stuart 2:16.69 1976Red Regent4Pat Eddery Peter Walwyn Sir D. Clague 2:08.99 1977Turnpike4John MatthiasIan BaldingMrs. J. MacDougald2:12.26 1978Saros4Pat EdderyPeter WalwynCarlo Vittadini2:20.51 1979Doogali5Walter Swinburn W H WilliamsLord Strathalmond 2:14.921980Sea Chimes4Willie CarsonJohn DunlopJohn Thursby 2:07.71 1981Lafontaine4Greville StarkeyClive BrittainMrs. J Bigg2:10.29 1982African Pearl4J. McCaughayBryn CrossleyR. Simpson2:07.89 1983Cannon King7Willie CarsonJohn DunlopEric Pensar 2:23.70 1984My Tony4Taffy ThomasGeoff LewisE. Holding2:09.08 1985Redden7Chris RutterJ. PittA. Bateson2:12.09 1986Nebris5Pat EdderyReg Akehurst 2:19.471987Ben Adhem5 Chris RutterHenry CandyGerald Kidd 2:08.43

1988–present