It was run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and was scheduled to take place each year in late August.
The event was named after the Earldom of March, a title inherited by the eldest son of the Duke of Richmond, the owner of Goodwood Racecourse.
The race was originally restricted to three-year-olds, and it was formerly a leading trial for the St. Leger Stakes.
[1] In 2018 it was upgraded to Group 3 status as part of the European Pattern Committee's commitment to improving the race programme for stayers in Europe.
[3] From 2018 the race was run in memory of John Dunlop (1939-2018), a racehorse trainer who trained at Arundel, near Goodwood.