York racecourse has decided to rename the Duke Of York Stakes, a prestigious sprint race held annually at its May meeting, in order to distance itself from the embattled Prince Andrew amid the ongoing Virginia Giuffre scandal. The move is intended to avoid the name becoming a distraction from the quality of the contest.
James Brennan, the track’s head of marketing and sponsorship, confirmed the decision to the Racing Post, explaining that the race has existed in various forms since 1895. It was originally named in honour of the then Duke of York, who later became King George V. Brennan stated that the current favourite for a new name is something like the 1895 Duke Of York Stakes, which would clarify the historical connection and differentiate it from Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew, the current Duke of York, is facing a civil lawsuit in the United States filed by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew when she was a minor. Andrew has denied the allegations. He stepped down from his role as patron of York racecourse in 2019 following a controversial BBC Newsnight interview about his association with Epstein.
Brennan noted that the racecourse is not seeking a complete name change to avoid confusion among racing fans, but rather to add a date reference that clarifies the race's long-standing heritage. The proposal will need approval from the European Pattern Committee before being finalised.
