THE CLASSIC RACES.

I. THE ST. LEGER.

Certain races are now designated by common consent "classic." These, in the order of their occurrence, are the Two Thousand Guineas, One Thousand, and the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger, but why they should be "classic" more than some other events of the turf I am unable to explain; they have, at any rate, become standing dishes of our racing bills of fare. In point of origin, the St. Leger is entitled to precedence as premier of "the classics." Much controversy has taken place about the exact date of the first of the great Town Moor struggles, caused, no doubt, by the fact that no name had been bestowed upon it when it was instituted. The race in reality should date from the year 1788, when Hollandaise won, but it was first run two years earlier, when Allabaculia, ridden by J. Singleton, proved victorious.

The name was fixed upon, as has been often narrated, at a dinner held in the "Red Lion Inn," in Doncaster. At that dinner the Marquis of Rockingham proposed that "the sweepstakes," first run for in 1776, should be named the "St. Leger," in compliment to Lieutenant-General Anthony St. Leger, of Park Hill, and the proposition was unanimously adopted. After a time, the Doncaster race became as famous as the Derby, and its celebration during the last sixty years has, in some degree, become an event of national significance.

The names and performances of the winning horses and successful jockeys of the St. Leger have been sedulously chronicled for many years past, and it may be said that, for good horses and exciting incidents, as well as for the value of the stakes and the betting that takes place upon it, the great Doncaster race is not behind the Derby, which is indebted for much of its success to the fact of its taking place within twenty miles of the populous city of London. Doncaster, where the race for the St. Leger is run, is not so easy of access to large numbers of spectators as the far-famed downs of Epsom; still, on the eventful day, the Town Moor becomes crowded by thousands, chiefly enthusiastic Yorkshiremen, eager to witness the grand spectacle.

The St. Leger, then, originated as a sweepstake of 25 gs. each for three-year-old horses. The days of running have been changed two or three times. The race was originally run on a Tuesday, then Wednesday became for a couple of years the St. Leger day, when it again became Tuesday, and continued to be celebrated on that day for twenty-five years afterwards, after which it was run for a time on Monday, then changed again to Tuesday. Since the year 1845, however, the St. Leger day has been Wednesday. The distance run in the earlier races for the great Doncaster prize was two miles, and the horses, instead of running as at present, went the other way of the course. In 1812 the race is described as being run "over the St. Leger course," which, in the Calendar of the period, is stated to be 1 mile, 7 furlongs, and 20 yards, and 1 mile, 6 furlongs, and 100 yards on the inside; now the St. Leger distance is given in Weatherby's Calendar as 1 mile, 6 furlongs, 132 yards.

In the early years of the race the stakes were counted in guineas, the weights, 8 st. 2 lb. for colts, fillies carrying 2 lb. less. Since its institution many horses have competed, the highest number started in any year being thirty, when the winner was Mr. Watts's Memnon (1825). As few as four horses, however, have gone to the starting-post, namely in 1783 and 1785, when Phenomenon and Cowslip won. During the last quarter of a century fair fields have competed for the St. Leger Stakes. As many as nineteen horses went to the post in 1870, when victory was awarded to Hawthornden; only seven horses were selected, however, to oppose Mr. Merry's heroine, Marie Stuart. In the five years ending with 1890 fifty-nine horses faced the starter. Taking a rough average, thirteen horses made up the field for the "Sellinger," and as the public form of the year is pretty well exposed by the middle of September, many more competitors could scarcely be expected.

Glancing over the roll of victories as recorded in "Ruff," and other "guides," we see that Lord A. Hamilton, one of the most successful of the earlier aspirants for St. Leger honours, won the race in three successive years with Paragon, Spadille, and Young Flora, and again, after a lapse of three years, with Tartar, and on each occasion Mangle was "up." Mr. Petre scored three consecutive St. Leger successes by means of Matilda, The Colonel, and Rowton, 1827-8-9, previous to which Mr. Mellish, the Duke of Hamilton, and Mr. Pierse had each taken the race in two successive years, a feat which was afterwards followed up by Lords Westminster and Falmouth. Several Scottish sportsmen have also gained the coveted prize, notably the Duke of Hamilton (thrice), Lord Eglinton (thrice), Mr. James Merry (twice), Mr. Ianson (twice), and Mr. Stirling Crawford. In its earlier years few of the Dukes and Lords of the turf won the St. Leger, but since 1876 the Peerage have been more fortunate, only three Commoners having been credited with the race during the last fourteen years, Lord Falmouth having proved successful on three occasions. In 1889-90 St. Leger honours fell to the Duke of Portland, by the aid of Donovan and Memoir.

The winning of the Derby and St. Leger by the same horse has been accomplished in thirteen different years, commencing with Champion in the first year of the century, 1800. For the long period of forty-eight years no horse was able to emulate the great feat of Champion, but just as owners and trainers were despairing, and people were beginning to prophesy that the double event would never more take place. Surplice came upon the scene and solved the problem. In the following year the feat was again accomplished, when Lord Eglinton's Flying Dutchman proved successful, whilst Lord Zetland's Voltigeur won the double event in 1850. West Australian accomplished the same feat in 1853, and, curiously enough, in the years 1864-5-6 the feat was successively performed by Blair Athol, Gladiateur, and Lord Lyon. Silvio, a horse belonging to Lord Falmouth, won both Derby and St. Leger in 1877, while the dual victory of the American horse Iroquois is doubtless green in the memory of all who take an interest in the turf. Since Iroquois proved so fortunate, Melton, Ormonde, and Donovan have also achieved double event honours (1885, 1886, and 1889). The annals of the St. Leger have also been signalised by a series of triple events, West Australian, Gladiateur, Lord Lyon, and Ormonde having won the Two Thousand Guineas as well as the Derby and St. Leger.

It will not be out of place to devote a few lines to the famous horsemen of the St. Leger, the jockeys who have won the Blue Ribbon of the North. The rider of the first winner of the race was J. Singleton, who steered Allabaculia to victory in 1766. The five successes of Mangle took place on Ruler in 1780, and on Lord A. Hamilton's three in 1786-7-8, as also on the same nobleman's Tartar in 1792. Among horsemen who flourished on the Town Moor of Doncaster at an early date was B. Smith, who proved victorious on six occasions; but W. Scott was more successful in the great race than any other jockey, as he secured the St. Leger nine times, four of his wins being in consecutive years. Many celebrated English horsemen have ridden in the St. Leger. Jackson won the prize on eight occasions, and Buckle twice. Job Marson was thrice victorious in the struggle; the latter on Voltigeur ran a dead heat with Russborough, an Irish horse, but in the run-off, Voltigeur, again ridden by Job, proved the better animal, winning the deciding heat with great ease, although the jockey confessed to being a little nervous. Flatman, too, made his mark on the Town Moor by winning two consecutive St. Legers, namely, in 1856 with Warlock, and in 1857 with Imperieuse. Another jockey who earned great distinction on the St. Leger course was T. Chaloner, who gained the prize on five different horses. Maidment won the stakes in 1871 for Baron Rothschild on Hannah, and in the following year won again on Wenlock. The chief jockey of his period, Frederick Archer, also earned his share of Doncaster honours, having thrice won the race for his chief patron, Lord Falmouth, and three times for other owners. Of living jockeys who have taken St. Leger decorations it would be unfair not to chronicle the name of John Osborne, who secured honours by a wonderful effort on Lord Clifden, and who rode "the parson's cripple mare," Apology. Grimshaw, Custance, Wells, and Goater have all in their time ridden St. Leger victors. T. Cannon and J. Watts also deserve mention; the latter has ridden the winner on three occasions.

The history of the St. Leger is distinguished by many curious events and circumstances, one or two of which may be alluded to. Yorkshiremen of all grades have recollections, pleasant or otherwise, of the annual race for the Blue Ribbon of the North, and of the curious characters who appeared at Doncaster to assist at its celebration, such as the eccentric James Hurst, who came to the paddock dressed from head to foot in sheepskin garments and drawn in a carriage of his own make by his tame dogs, or occasionally by an ass, and sometimes attended by a few tame foxes! On one occasion ten false starts took place before the genuine race was run; that was in Altissidora's year (1813), when seventeen horses came under the charge of the starter. A speculative occupant of the grand stand, after the eighth false start had taken place, laid 100 to 20 against the next attempt being successful and also 100 to 30 against the tenth, and won his money. In the year 1819 the great Doncaster event was run twice! Two years afterwards, Gustavus, which had won the Derby, was expected to win the St. Leger also, but he was defeated by Jack Spigot, a northern horse. This was the first great struggle between the southern and northern trainers, and the latter, who entertained a profound contempt for Newmarket men and their modes of training, prophesied that they could never win a St. Leger—a prophecy that was speedily shown to be erroneous—and the race is now seldom won by a horse trained in the northern stables, the latest Yorkshire-trained winner, if I am not mistaken, being Apology.

Large amounts of money usually change hands over the race for the St. Leger, the horse-loving Yorkshiremen being fond of making a bet; many sums of considerable amount are risked by persons who habitually speculate on the race. It was recently calculated by a gentleman well versed in such matters that during the St. Leger week, over fifty thousand individual bets would be made in Doncaster alone, the amount standing to be won on the various horses in a good year for betting—when, for instance, there is a strong run on five or six animals—being not far short of a quarter of a million sterling, the stake ranging from a shilling to five hundred, or even a thousand pounds.

The "form" of the horses which compete is generally so well known as to prevent the odds offered against those supposed to have any chance of winning from being high. Upon one occasion, however, "any odds" might in reality have been obtained against the horse which won; as a matter of fact, one bet of a hundred pounds to a walking stick was laid. During these latter years the highest rate of odds laid against a winner at the start for the St. Leger was 40 to 1, the horse being Dutch Oven. About Hawthornden (an outsider) an Edinburgh gentleman obtained early in the year the extraordinary bet of £500 to £1, but the layer, once well known as a big betting man, ultimately proved a defaulter; the taker of the bet, however, was paid in the course of time about a fourth of the sum.

Space cannot be afforded to record the early struggles for the St. Leger. The progress of the race was slow and the stakes nothing to speak of; indeed, it was not till the century had well advanced that subscribers became numerous. In 1804 the nominators amounted to a couple of dozen, five years later the entries exceeded fifty horses by one. In 1839 107 became the figure; in 1864 that number was doubled, 217 having been entered; and in 1879, when Rayon d'Or proved victorious, 274 horses had been nominated for the race.

"Descriptions" of the St. Leger, as we know them, were not written in its earlier years. In 1784, when Omphale won, it is stated by an authority of the time that the filly had been amiss for twelve months preceding, and had only been nine weeks in training, yet won easily. After 1786 the betting about the first three horses seems to have been recorded, and a "place" is about that time apportioned to every horse that took part in the struggle, which was not a difficult matter, seeing that the fields, till 1803, seldom exceeded eight horses. In 1789 a horse named Zanga came in first (it belonged to the Duke of Hamilton), but the rider having been proved guilty of "jostling," the race was awarded to Pewet, the favourite. Champion, which also won the Derby, was victor in the St. Leger of 1800, ridden by Buckle. The betting was 2 to 1 against the son of Pot8os. The St. Leger of 1801 is characterised as "a good race, and much betting," and next year, when Orville won, the legend of the event is extended a little, and is as follows: "Orville took the lead (in a field of seven), was never headed, and won easy." The odds were 8 to 1 against the winner, the favourite being Young Eclipse, which was priced at 5 to 4 on. Next year the same story is told of Remembrancer. In 1804 quite a chapter of accidents occurred in the race; several of the horses fell, their jockeys being much hurt.

The following lines convey a description of the race for the St. Leger of 1806, for which fourteen horses faced the starter, the winner being Fyldener by Sir Peter, out of Fanny by Diomed: "They all went off at very little better than a canter rate, and were nearly together at the distance post, except Mr. Harrison's colt (by Harrison's Trumpator, out of Bonnyface), who was beat several lengths; after which some smart running took place; but Fyldener appeared to win easy at the end of a clear length. On the whole it was a very indifferent race, and they were a long time in running it."

The St. Leger began to be "timed" in the year 1810, when it occupied three and a half minutes. In the year of the ten false starts a note was not kept, but in the following years, with a few breaks, the time was regularly noted, a practice which does not seem to have been followed in regard to the Derby till the year 1846. In 1822 the winner was Theodore, and the race is rendered memorable from the fact that the odds against that horse were 200 to 1, about which circumstance many good stories could be told. In 1823 the race for the St. Leger was actually run twice over. To begin with, twenty-seven horses were saddled and mounted and assembled at the post, three false starts then took place, when twenty-three of the horses again faced the starter, who also officiated as clerk of the course. These horses ran the entire distance, and the first three were placed in the usual way by the judge: Carnival 1, Barefoot 2, Comte d'Artois 3. But to the surprise of all it was pronounced "no race," as the horses had started without the word being given by the starter. There was nothing for it but to run the race over again, which was done, the struggle resulting very much as in the first trial, except that Barefoot gained the place of honour, Comte d'Artois being again third, to Mr. Houldsworth's Sherwood, which attained second honours, Barefoot winning easily by two lengths.

The annals of the St. Leger are not free from stain. Many a time and oft have whispers gone abroad of "foul play" and fraudulent practices. A calendar of all the suspicious doings which have been incidental to the great race would fill many pages. One or two of them may be referred to. As has been told, the race was won in 1822 by a rank outsider (Theodore). The favourite that year was a colt named Swap, belonging to, or at least nominated by, M. T. O. Powlett. It was ridden by W. Scott, and started at odds of 7 to 4 against it, and finished nowhere. Previous to the race being run there had been displayed a great amount of excitement and temper with reference to the doings in the various betting centres of the time. Ugly rumours were in circulation regarding the favourite; those in "the know" were so anxious to lay against the horse that suspicion was excited of all not being as it ought to be with Swap. And so it proved. "The legs" became jubilant after the race, some of them having netted large sums of money. The betting had been very heavy, and backers of Swap lost considerable amounts. Afterwards, in the Gascoigne Stakes, Swap beat Theodore easily.

In the sporting circles of the period this particular St. Leger long formed a theme of gossip, and the men who managed "the affair" were well known, but no steps could be taken against them for lack of proof. Ten years after the Swap business there fell out another St. Leger scandal, when a horse entered for the race was purchased by the Bonds, the keepers of a gambling house in St. James's Street. Ludlow, the horse in question, was likely to start a great favourite when it passed into the possession of the Bonds, as was asserted, to be "milked" for the race; at all events, the sporting public became possessed of that idea, which, in some degree, put a stop to speculation. Bond wrote a letter to one of the newspapers in which he maintained that he meant to run the horse on his merits, and mentioning the bets he had taken, and naming the parties he had backed the horse with; but Ludlow was the absolute last in the race, which Mr. Gully carried off with Margrave. It was in connection with this race—in consequence of some dispute—that Gully and Mr. Osbaldeston fought a duel, in which the former had a narrow escape of losing his life.

At Doncaster no individual or private company reaps the benefit of the moneys paid for admission to the stands and rings; the sums drawn, it is understood, go to benefit the town. As regards the exact mode of benefit, or the degree in which the people are benefited, no particulars are published; judging, however, from the greed of those who let their houses during the St. Leger week, the benefits derived cannot be very great, the charges being always exorbitant, ranging from £4 to £7 for apartments that at any other period of the year would be dear at as many shillings. We do not speak of houses for which four and five times the above sums are charged, but they are equally dear. It has been stated that in consequence of the income derived from the races the inhabitants pay no taxes; if that be really so, lodgings ought to be cheaper at Doncaster than they are at present. One really ought to be able to command a bedroom and breakfast-parlour for not more than ten shillings a night, or two guineas for the four days. Exorbitant prices have led those having racing business to attend to to live for the four or five days of the meeting in the neighbouring towns and villages, from which they can arrive at the Town Moor in good time for business, and depart in ample time for dinner.

With reference to the sum paid as entry money for the race, namely, £25, it is in reality much the same as for the Derby, with the exception that, in the case of the great Epsom event, each runner is mulcted in the full sum of 50 gs., but taking an average of twelve runners, that number would only add £300 to the stakes of the winning horse. Handsome additions ought therefore to be made. That the Doncaster authorities should supplement the St. Leger Stakes with a liberal hand is all the more necessary, seeing that the form of the horses has before September become so exposed as to make it impossible to back them, except at an unremunerative price. An addition of £1,000 to the second horse, and a sum of £500 to the one which runs third, should at once be demanded by those gentlemen who are in the custom year after year of nominating their yearlings for the Blue Ribbon of the North; the subscriptions in their entirety should go to the winner, and a given amount ought to be fixed for the first horse—say £5,000.

II. THE OAKS.

If dukes are conspicuous by their absence from the fame-roll of the St. Leger, they figure liberally enough in the list of Oaks winners, the "Garter of the Turf" on sixteen anniversaries of the race having fallen to ducal subscribers. As for lords—"mere lords" as these members of the Peerage were once upon a time designated by William Cobbett (and later by Thomas Carlyle)—they would almost appear to farm the race, especially if the baronets, who have been equally fortunate, be included. On no less than sixty-four occasions has the heroine of the Oaks been the property of a titled personage.

The Oaks takes precedence of the Derby by a year. Only fillies run in the race. The origin of the stakes has been often told. The first struggle for the ladies' prize took place in the year 1779. An Earl of Derby of the period originated the race and conferred a title upon it, and his horse Bridget, ridden by J. Goodison, won the first Oaks. The race derived its name from an alehouse which existed at one time on Banstead Downs. This homely haunt of humble wayfarers was purchased by General Burgoyne, who, by the expenditure of a few hundred pounds, managed to convert the public-house into an elegant hunting-seat. "The Oaks" afterwards became the property of Lord Derby, who enlarged and beautified the house, adding also to the extent of the grounds by which it was surrounded.

The initial contest took place on Friday, May 14th, 1779. The terms on which the race was run at the date of its institution were as follows: "The Oaks Stakes of 50 gs. each, for three-year-old fillies, 8 st. 4 lb., one mile and a half." Seventeen subscriptions were taken for the race, and twelve of the fillies came to the starting-post, those placed being:

Lord Derby's b. Bridget by Herod, out of Jemima ... 1

Mr. Vernon's b. Fame by Pantaloon ... 2

Sir J. Shelly's b. Lavinia by Eclipse, out of Hyrmn ... 3

The winning jockey was J. Goodison, and the odds laid against the winner at the start 5 to 2. The value of the stake would be 850 gs.

For the Oaks of 1782 the terms of competition were altered to 50 gs. for each filly, with 40 gs. forfeit; the owner of the second received 100 gs. out of the stakes, which would leave very little for the winner. The twelve starters would yield 600 gs., and the non-starters would just add to the account the amount to be given to the owner of the animal which ran second. In 1786 the rubric of the race underwent another change; the following is a copy: "The Oaks Stakes of 50 gs. each, 8 ft., for three-year-old fillies, 8 st. 4 lb., one mile and a half." As will be seen, nothing is said regarding any provision for the second horse, and whether or not the 100 gs. was continued the writer is not able to say; in 1796, however, that sum was again bestowed on the filly to which the judge allocated the second position. In the year 1787 the weight to be carried in the race was reduced to 8 st., at which it remained till 1808, when it was restored to the former figure of 8 st. 4 lb.; in 1842 the weight to be carried by fillies competing in the race was increased to 8 st. 7 lb.

The progress of the Oaks towards its present condition of prosperity was slow, but, it may be added, sure. It began, as has been said, with seventeen subscribers, and once only fell below that number, namely, in 1781, when there was one less; in 1795-6 42 fillies were entered, but the numbers again fell off, and it was not till 1825 the entries reached so many as 50, whilst fourteen years elapsed before the 100 was topped. It was in 1868, when Formosa won the Garter for Mr. Graham, that the highest number of entries was recorded, namely, 215; in two other years the figures exceeded 200, namely, in 1867, when the race fell to Baron Rothschild by the aid of Hippia (206 entries), and eleven years afterwards when Lord Falmouth's Janette proved victorious, upon which occasion 212 fillies were named. Since that time the entries have been on the decline, as the following figures will show, namely: 189, 187, 182, 182, 145, 148, 144, 138, 142, 133, 112, from 1879 to 1889 inclusive, respectively.

The following averages afford a good idea of the value of the Oaks Stakes: During the first twenty years, the average number of subscribers was twenty-six, the average number of horses competing being 9. In the second period of twenty years these averages increased to thirty-three subscribers, but the field of runners underwent no alteration. In the third twenty years the subscribers had more than doubled, whilst the competing fields had risen to an average of 13.

The Duke of Bedford, who during the active period of his life was a well-known habitué of the turf, won the Oaks in the consecutive years of 1790-1 by the aid of Hyppolita and Portia, while in 1793 his filly Coelia proved successful in beating the nine competitors which started against her. The next duke who comes upon the scene is "the Oaks Duke," par excellence, the Duke of Grafton. With Remnant in 1801, and with Parasol in 1803, his grace had proved unsuccessful; but in 1804 his filly Pelisse, beating seven opponents, won the Duke his first Oaks; in 1808, Morel brought him another victory. Music, Minuet, Pastille, Zinc, Turquoise, and Oxygen followed in the footsteps of Morel in the years 1813, 1815, 1822, 1823, 1828, and 1831, respectively, giving his grace eight winners in all.

On two occasions the Garter of the Turf was awarded to the Duke of Rutland, who won in 1811 by the aid of Sorcery, and in 1814 his grace's filly Medora took the prize. The Duke of Richmond comes next in the list of ducal winners; in 1827 his filly Gulnare won the Oaks, and again in 1845 his grace's filly Refraction credited him with the stakes. In what may be called modern times (1886-7) the Dukes of Hamilton and Beaufort have each scored a victory.

Coming now to "the lords," it has first of all to be chronicled that the founder of the race was twice successful in his attempts to win; first with Bridget in 1779—the year of its institution—and again in 1794, when Hermione won. Lord Grosvenor's Faith, Ceres, and Maid of the Oaks gave that nobleman three consecutive victories in the years 1781-2-3, and in 1797 and 1799 his lordship proved again successful, the winners being Nike and Bellina, followed by Meteora in 1805, making a series of six victories. Lord Clermont was so fortunate as twice to capture the Garter, namely, in 1785 by the aid of Trifle, and seven years afterwards by Volante. Two of Lord Egremont's fillies proved victorious in consecutive years, Nightshade in 1788, and Tag in 1789. Other wins were scored by his lordship in 1795, when Platina proved victorious, and in 1808 by means of Ephemera, whilst Carolina scored for him in 1820, making five successes in all for Lord Egremont. Lord Exeter's successes, three in all, were attained by the aid of Augusta in 1821, Green Mantle in 1829, Galata in 1832. Lord Chesterfield (twice), Lord George Bentinck, Lord Westminster, Lord Stanley, and Lord Londesborough also secured the Garter of the Turf between the years 1838 and 1859. The late Lord Falmouth was fortunate enough to win the Oaks on four occasions. Queen Bertha, 1863; Spinaway, 1875; Janette and Wheel of Fortune in 1878 and 1879, were his lordship's winners. Lords Stamford, Roseberry, Cadogan, Calthorpe, and R. Churchill have each taken the Garter; likewise Count de Lagrange and Baron Rothschild, who twice proved successful.

Only two fillies have scored the double event of Oaks and Derby, namely, Eleanor in 1801, and Blinkbonny in 1857. It is not often the case that mares are entered for the "Blue Ribbon," May being a bad season in which to expect them to perform well along with the colts. Winners of the Oaks, however, have several times proved victorious in the St. Leger. Queen of Trumps, 1835; Formosa, 1868; Hannah, 1871; Marie Stuart, 1873; Apology, 1874; Janette, 1878; and Sea Breeze in the year 1888, were all credited with the double event.

Of jockeys who had mounts in the Oaks, the Chifneys may be mentioned as having won the race on nine occasions, victory falling to the elder Chifney four times. Buckle, however, the greatest horseman of his time, takes precedence as having been nine times victorious in the ladies' battle; Frank Butler six times landed his horse at the head of the field, four of the races which fell to his prowess being run in successive years, namely in 1849, 1850, 1851, and 1852, Lady Evelyn, Rhidycina, Iris, and Songstress being the names of the fillies ridden by him on these four occasions; their owners were Lord Chesterfield, Mr. Hobson, Lord Stanley, and Mr. J. Scott. John Day rode five Oaks winners; Scott rode the winner on three occasions; Lye also scored three victories, as did Templeman.

Coming to what by comparison may be called modern times, we have to credit that able horseman, George Fordham, with five victories; F. Archer won the Oaks on four occasions, three of the wins being for Lord Falmouth; T. Cannon has been twice successful in the race; that careful horseman, John Osborne, has one Oaks win to his credit; Wood, Woodburn, and Robinson have each had one turn.

For the long period of one hundred and eleven years the subscribers to the Oaks ran for their own money only the Epsom authorities never having contributed a shilling to the stakes; the winner at one time, indeed, was charged £100 as a contribution to the police expenses!

It is really surprising that owners of horses should have submitted for over a hundred years to contribute thousands of pounds to the exchequer of a public company, who have never till lately offered one farthing by way of quid pro quo. There can be no doubt, although the Oaks does not draw so great a crowd to Epsom as the Derby, that the race is highly profitable to the parties who work "the oracle." How the new arrangement begun in 1890 will turn out remains to be determined, but in the past history of the race, as can be seen from a perusal of some of the old Calendars, many gentlemen have, year by year, entered from two to nine of their fillies, and have in consequence incurred forfeits to the extent of from fifty to two hundred and twenty-five pounds, with no other result than that of enriching the Grand Stand Company of Epsom, who, it is said, derive a profit of several thousand pounds from the two great races which are run at their Epsom Summer Meeting. A time is undoubtedly coming when it will be necessary for lessees of racecourses to hand over to the men who supply the competing horses a considerable share of the gains which accrue from the popularity of the meeting; otherwise owners will take the matter more into their own hands, and run their horses for their own profit.

Taken from beginning to end, the progress of the Oaks has probably been less marked by chicanery than the other classic races. As was said by one of the late Mr. Merry's grooms, a sedate old Scotsman, "fillies are such kittle cattle that it does na dae to trust them ower far," and the man was not far wrong in offering such an opinion. It is a characteristic of their sex to be fickle, and the Oaks is run at a period of the year when such horses may prove most unreliable; hence it is that there is less gambling on the race than takes place on other equine competitions. If a man thinks his filly good enough to win, and is desirous of backing her, he delays his investment till he sees her at the post.

Whispers of occasional frauds in connection with the Garter of the Turf have, however, been heard, and every now and again it has been held "as curious, to say the least of it, that fillies which ran badly in the One Thousand Guineas should alter their form so much in the Oaks," and vice versâ. Once or twice ugly tales have been told about owners who were "open to conviction"; in particular, it was said a few years ago, regarding a gentleman who "stood" to win, and did win, a very large stake over a horse which he had entered for the Derby, that in order to make sure of his being paid his winnings over that race, he would "require" (so he was told by his commissioner, if we may credit the story) to give up his chance of winning the Oaks, which race seemed to be as like a gift to him as the race for the Blue Ribbon proved to be. "Well," said an experienced racing man, "the story may be quite true; one never can tell exactly how the undercurrents of the turf are running, but you may be quite sure of one thing, and that is, that no one connected with the little arrangement would ever open his mouth about it to an outsider. Such doings can, at the best, be only a matter of guess work, and, on the principle that a man may do as he likes with his own, it is nobody's business."

That is one way of putting the case, and that "a man's horse is his own and he can do with it as he pleases," has often figured as an excuse for very flagrant instances of turf immorality; but, it has been suggested that the Oaks has been less marked by chicanery than other races.

III. THE DERBY.

One hundred and ten years have elapsed since Diomed won the first race for what has since been called the "Blue Ribbon of the Turf," and to-day the Derby is as much in favour as it has been in any previous year. Countless thousands assemble on Epsom Downs to witness each recurring anniversary. During the first thirty years of its existence the race was of slow growth so far as the subscribers and the number of horses running was concerned, but its popularity was soon to grow, and considering the difficulties of locomotion on bad roads and other obstructions, the attendance on the Downs on the day set for the great struggle became very considerable, although nothing like what it was destined to become when railways had made travelling easy and inexpensive.

It was propounded as a question in the columns of one of the sporting journals some years ago that it would be interesting to know how many men were alive who had seen the race run about the year 1820, or even a year or two later; but I do not know if any, or how many answers were returned. In Bluegown's year, however, I conversed at a wayside tavern with an old man who was making his way to Epsom Downs on foot, who had, as a child, seen Eleanor win the Derby of 1801. Among the horse-racing men of Yorkshire there are three or four reputed to be alive who have witnessed more than fifty consecutive races for the St. Leger, and there may, perhaps, be people yet living who have as many times witnessed the struggle for the Derby. Curiously enough, when I ventured in my history of the "Blue Ribbon of the Turf" to renew this question, which is, I think, neither frivolous nor devoid of interest, I was "heavily sneered at" by one of the cocksure critics of the period who thought the matter unworthy of consideration.

The race at the date of Eleanor's victory was twenty-two years old, having been instituted in 1780. During the first ten years of the Derby the accumulated stakes amounted to 11,005 gs. When the race was inaugurated the number of subscribers was thirty-six, and the following is a list of the horses which formed the field: Sir Charles Bunbury's Diomed, Major O'Kelly's Bowdrow, Mr. Walker's Spitfire, Sir F. Evelyn's Wotton, Mr. Panton's colt by Herod, Duke of Cumberland's colt by Eclipse, Mr. Dulsh's colt by Cardinal Puff, Mr. Delme's colt by Gimcrack, and the Duke of Bolton's Bay Bolton.

As regards the number of subscriptions to the race in its earlier days, it may be here recorded that up to and including 1800 the following figures denote the entries: 36, 35, 35, 34, 30, 29, 29, 33, 30, 30, 32, 32, 32, 50, 49, 45, 45, 37, 37, 33, and 33, respectively.

Nothing of much interest can be written regarding the earlier years of the Derby. As is well known to persons versed in the history of the turf, the race was instituted by, or at any rate was named after the twelfth Earl of Derby, who was also, as has been already mentioned, sponsor for the Oaks. Could the future celebrity of the great event have been foreseen, we should not be without full particulars of the earlier struggles for victory; but a hundred years ago the sporting reporter was evidently not of much account; at any rate, the newspapers of the time (1780 to 1800) do little more than record that the race was run. Brief comments began to be offered upon the Derby in 1802 and following years; these, however, were exceedingly curt, consisting usually of such observations as "Won easy," or "Won very easy." The race of 1805, won by Lord Egremont's Cardinal Beaufort, was commented on in the following fashion: "Won by a neck. There was much betting on this race. Mr. Best's colt was thrown down by some horsemen imprudently crossing the course before all the race-horses had passed, and his rider, B. Norton, was bruised by the fall." In the following year, 1806, when Lord Foley's Paris won the Derby, we obtain a better account of the race: "At half-past one they started, and went at a good speed to Tattenham Corner, on which it was observed that Shepherd, who rode Paris, rather pulled, whilst Trafalgar was making play; notwithstanding, Lord Egremont was backed to win. Upon coming to the distance point, Trafalgar ran neck and neck, in which situation they continued till within a few yards of the winning-post, when Shepherd made a desperate push and won the race by about half a head."

In 1813, when Sir Charles Bunbury's Smolensko was declared the winner, having beaten eleven opponents, there were, as in the three succeeding years, 51 entries for the Derby, a number, however, which pretty soon began to be exceeded. In 1827, the year in which Lord Jersey's Mameluke landed the prize from twenty-two competitors, 89 horses had been entered for the race, the same number curiously enough being set forth in the three succeeding years. In 1831 (Spaniel's year) the 100 had been topped, and the fields of runners, as was to be expected, had also considerably increased. In Priam's year, for instance (1830), 28 horses were found at the starting-post. That number was not, however, maintained; but from that year to 1841, 23, 22, 25, 23, 14, 21, 17, 23, 21, 17, and 19, respectively, faced the starter, while in 1851 the field of competitors numbered 33 animals. As a corollary of the big entries and increasing fields, the money to be run for increased so that the stakes became of importance and worth winning, especially in 1848, when the number of horses entered for the race had reached the handsome total of 215 different animals, a number which in after years was occasionally exceeded, as for instance in 1879, when Sir Bevys was hailed as victor, the horses entered for that year's Blue Ribbon numbered no less than 278. Since then the largest entries have occurred in 1880 (257) and 1890 (233), when Bend Or and Sainfoin won respectively.

The terms on which the Derby was first run for were 50 gs. for each horse taking part in the race, non-starters paying half that amount; the distance run during the first three years was one mile, and the weights carried were respectively 8 st. for colts, and 7 st. 11 lb. for fillies; the weights were altered in the year 1784, and again in the years 1801, 1803, 1807, as also in 1865.

In 1782 the second horse began to be paid £100 out of the stakes; in 1869 the sums given to the runners-up were respectively £300 and £150 for first and second. At a previous date sums were deducted from the stakes for police expenses and the judge! The stake run for by Diomed, the first winner of the Derby, would amount to 1,125 gs., and for the next ten or twelve years the sum raced for was seldom under 1,000 gs. A good many years elapsed before the 2,000 gs. was topped, but a time was coming when even double that amount was thought a small sum with which to reward the owner of a Derby winner. In Lord Lyons' year (1866) the stakes reached £7,350, and again in 1879 when Fordham won on Sir Bevys, the sum of the stakes amounted to over £7,000, whilst £5,000 and even £6,000 were on several occasions placed to the credit of the owner of the winning horse.

On the day that Pyrrhus the First won the Derby, which was in the year 1846, the "time" taken to run the race was for the first time ascertained—it was two minutes and fifty-five seconds; but on two or three occasions two minutes and forty-three seconds was the time indicated; whilst on three anniversaries the running of the race has exceeded three minutes, the distance being one mile and a half. Many racing men do not believe in the time test, thinking it impossible to ascertain with the necessary precision the precise moment of the start and finish.

Not till the advent of a sporting newspaper—now dead, but famous in its day, Bell's Life in London—did the Derby become popular with the people. It has been said that "Bell made the race," and the saying is undoubtedly to some extent true, as in the course of time that journal began to devote special attention to the Derby, giving a minute history of the breeding and performances of those horses likely to take part in the struggle. A feature of the work undertaken by "Bell" was greatly relished, namely, a very full description of the Sunday gallops of the various competitors on Epsom Downs, a special edition of the paper being issued with the information, containing also the latest quotations of "the odds." As time went on these features of Bell's Life were eagerly looked for and enjoyed, the circulation of the journal being considerably increased by the pains taken to give accurate reports. Then the day of the race came in for an immense amount of journalistic attention, the struggle itself and all its incidents being minutely described, the throng of people on the routes to and from Epsom, and all the varied occurrences which characterised the journey, being graphically described.

Nowadays the "form" of the horses which compete in the Derby is so well known as time progresses that no special efforts of the kind alluded to are made; moreover, nearly every newspaper devotes so much attention to "sport" that no person need be ignorant of any matter connected with the turf, and particularly the great race for the Blue Ribbon.

Railways to-day give such ready access to even distant seats of racing sport that men are enabled to witness every year as many races as they please, at a moderate cost in the way of expenditure. But for all that, Epsom on each recurring Derby Day becomes a focus of attraction, being annually visited by tens of thousands of persons, "the masses," of course, predominating; "the classes," however, being always largely represented, members of the Peerage having usually a personal interest in the race as owners, perhaps, of some of the competitors, or are found attending in the hope of seeing the horse of a friend prove victorious.

"The classes," indeed, have always been liberal supporters of the Epsom Derby; the patrician element was wont, indeed, to predominate in the list of nominators. In the year of the centenary of the race no less than eighty-four of the horses nominated had been entered by princes and peers, one of the number standing in the name of the nobleman who in that year had been appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Upwards of a century ago the race was won by the then Prince of Wales; but before that day, and often since, the luck of the lords and other titled gentlemen in gaining Derby honours has been conspicuous. From 1787, when Lord Derby won with Sir Peter Teazle, the race fell in eleven consecutive years to titled gentlemen, and from 1801 there came another series of eleven years in which titled owners came to the front; whilst ever since, the dukes, lords, and baronets have had a fair share of the honours of both the Derby and the Oaks. On thirty-two occasions the Blue Ribbon has fallen to a duke.

Although "nomination" to run in the race requires to be made when the animals are yearlings—long before it can be known whether or not they will be able to compete with advantage to their owners—large numbers of horses are annually entered for it. At one time the value of a race-horse was greatly increased by its being entered for the Derby; so much so, indeed, that breeders and other owners would frequently enter as many as half-a-dozen animals, in the hope that one of them might win. Now, however, so many more richly endowed races are run in the course of the year that in time the Derby may come to be less cared about by owners of blood stock. Races are at present run of the value of £10,000, which largely exceeds the value of the Derby stake. Gentlemen go to great expense in the purchase of yearlings which they think likely to shape into winners of the classic races. One nobleman is known to have expended many thousand pounds in the course of his life in the hope of being at last placed in possession of a horse good enough to prove victorious. On some occasions the Blue Ribbon has been won by animals that cost a comparatively small sum, and several gentlemen have taken the prize by aid of a horse bred by themselves. Again, animals which have won have been sold at a very high figure; two of these may be named—Blair Athol, which once changed hands for £10,000; and Doncaster, which was said to have been sold for £14,000.

Jockeys, we believe, still look upon the winning of a Derby as being the highest honour they can attain, although they sometimes earn more money by winning a good handicap on which there is heavy betting. Large sums are reputed to have occasionally been paid to the rider of a Derby winner—over £5,000 on one occasion, that being the amount of the stakes won by one of Sir Joseph Hawley's horses, and given by that gentleman to its rider. A thousand pounds for riding a Derby winner has come to be looked upon as quite a common fee; but in the earlier days of the great Epsom event no such figures were heard of, and upon one occasion, when a boy was paid £20 by the greatly gratified owner of a Derby winner, the circumstance was remarked upon as being without precedent, and an act of munificence. The big sums paid of late may be said to be in the nature of insurance, as jockeys before now have been known to be offered large sums not to win, and it has been said that such bribes have oftener than once proved effective.

The "superb groan" of Lord George Bentinck has become historical. Lord George, whose chief ambition as a sportsman was to win a Derby, had parted with his stud of horses in order that he might devote his whole attention to politics, and among the animals disposed of was Surplice, winner of the Derby of 1848. As may be supposed, the noble lord was deeply chagrined to find that he had parted with a horse that won a trophy of which he had long been in search. On the day after the race, Lord Beaconsfield tells us that he found Lord George in the library of the House of Commons with a book in his hand, but "looking disturbed." His resolutions in favour of the colonial interest, after all his labours, had been negatived by the committee on the 22nd, and on the 24th his horse, Surplice, which he had parted with among the rest of his stud solely that he might pursue, without distraction, his work on behalf of the great interests of the country, had won that paramount and Olympian stake to gain which had been the object of his life. He had nothing to console him and nothing to sustain him, except his pride. Even that deserted him before a heart which he knew at least would yield him sympathy. He gave a sort of superb groan: "All my life I have been trying for this, and for what have I sacrificed it?" he murmured. It was in vain to offer solace. "You do not know what the Derby is," he moaned out. "Yes, I do, it is the Blue Ribbon of the Turf."

In London Derby Day is in many respects a holiday; thousands of even the most industrious men of business journey to Epsom to obtain a peep at the chief event of the racing year. Even the House of Commons either contrives to adjourn expressly for the day, or so manages that it is not sitting on that particular occasion.

The Derby Day, with its attendant incidents, has been so often described that there is little or nothing left to say which can be endowed with the form of novelty. Writers, grave and gay, have written accounts of the great race and its surroundings from many points of view. What has been seen on the way to Epsom Downs has been over and over again described in graphic language. To the Derby, by road or rail, has afforded the industrious descriptive reporter yards of "copy"; incidents, comic and pathetic, have been seen or invented by "our own"; and the suggestion of a London pressman to hark back on the old accounts and republish them with a little "dressing up" was not a bad one. An industrious penman might find in some of the descriptions written twenty years ago matter that, judiciously recompiled, would not be without a considerable thread of interest.

The number of persons who annually witness the running for the Derby Stakes has been variously stated by statisticians, and has been guessed at half a million; but other writers do not think the attendance ever exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand individuals; and one or two well-informed persons who have ventured to take a census of the number present on the Downs on the Derby Day, do not venture to say that it exceeds a hundred thousand, all told; but even that figure would represent a vast multitude of people.

The Derby is no longer the great betting race it was at one time. Sixty years since, hundreds of thousands of pounds in big sums, it was thought, would change hands, the bulk of the money going into the pockets of a few persons, and these generally being in connection with "the stable." In some years very good prices have been obtained against the winning horse just previous to the start, and it is a mistake to suppose, as many people who know no better often do, that "the winner of the Derby always starts favourite." That is not so.

The "favourite" from Diomed (1780) to Donovan (1889) has won the great race on thirty-nine occasions, both of the horses named being in that proud position. In twenty-three of the races for the Derby the favourite has required to put up with second place, and on fifteen occasions with third honours only; so that from the beginning, in 1780, to the year in which Donovan was first the favourite has won or been placed as many as seventy-seven times, leaving victory or place honours to be attained by outsiders, or at any rate, non-favourites, in thirty-two different years. In some years the winner of the race has started at what may be termed a remunerative price. The starting price of Hermit, as all the world knows, has been quoted at 100 to 1, but very likely 50 or at most 66 to 1 would more correctly represent the rate of the odds; two horses which started at 50 to 1 were Azor (1817) and Spaniel (1831); Phosphorus (1837), Caractacus (1862), and Doncaster (1873), were each priced at 40 to 1, at the start. Merry Monarch (1845) is the only Derby winner which started at 33 to 1; Noble (1786), Lapdog (1826), Amato, and Bloomsbury (1838-9) were all 30 to 1 chances, and on ten different occasions the winner of the Derby has figured at 20 to 1 as the field was taken in hand by the starter. Seven times have odds been laid "on" the winner, whilst "evens" have four times been recorded.

As all interested in horse-racing know, the Derby, till within the last three years, has been a self-supporting race, and even now it is only, if at all, a little less so. Harking back, and looking over Blue Ribbon history, we find that those running horses in the great Epsom event required to pay for the privilege of doing so a sum of £50. Gentlemen who entered their horses, but for some reason or other did not run them, had, according to the conditions, to pouch out £25, and in the earlier years of the Derby "guineas" were exacted. In the rubric of the first race no sum is allotted to the second or third horses, but in 1782 it is mentioned that "the second received 100 gs. out of the stakes." No allowance would appear, in the earlier years of the Blue Ribbon, to have been assigned to the other placed horse, but in the course of time there appeared a clause in the conditions to the effect that the winner would have to pay £100 towards the expenses of additional police officers, and some years afterwards another exaction was made in the form of a fee of £50 to the judge; so that the very earliest traditions of the race point in the direction of meanness.

How the race for the Derby Stakes was originally organised is not very well known, but that machinery of some kind existed for collecting the stakes, and handing the amounts won to the winners of them, may be taken for granted; indeed, we know that it was so, but, for lack of authentic information on the subject, it is better not to risk the publication of merely hearsay statements. For more than a century British sportsmen have quietly allowed themselves to be, as may be said, "victims" of a confederacy that "grabbed" all and gave nothing. Year after year owners of Derby horses generously (perhaps "stupidly" would be the better word) continued to run against each other simply for their own money, much to the profit of the money-seeking Company which leases the racecourse and grand stand on Epsom Downs. Not till within the last six or seven years has there arisen a serious demand for the augmentation of the money run for, and, curiously enough, in most of the schemes which have been ventilated, the Epsom administration seemed alone to be thought of, even by men whom one would have expected to be in sympathy rather with those who provided the means of sport than those who make an inordinate profit out of it.

The concessions made by those who "boss" the Epsom show may be held to be the outcome of the more profitable stakes which have come into vogue of late years. The conditions of the race now read as follows: "The Derby Stakes of 5,000 sovs. for the winner, 500 sovs. for the nominator of the winner, 300 sovs. for the owner of the second, and 200 sovs. for the owner of the third; colts 9 st.; fillies 8 st. 9 lb., by subscription of 50 sovs. each, h. ft. if declared by the first Tuesday in January, 1891, and 10 sovs. only if declared by the first Tuesday in January, 1890; any surplus to be paid to the winner. About a mile and a half, starting at the High Level Starting-post. 206 subs., 41 pd. 10 sovs. ft. Closed July 16, 1889."

The above copy of the rubric shows what the movements made to reform the Derby Stakes have resulted in—namely, the ensuring of a fixed sum to the owner of the winner, as also a gratuity to the breeder of the victorious horse, but no increased allowance is to be given to the animal which comes in second; the third horse, however, will now get £200 instead of £150. The "proprietors of the race" will probably never require to afflict their souls by putting their hands in their pockets, but to change the old time condition at all must have sadly disturbed their serenity. But that which is demanded of the Epsom magnates is not what has so tardily been given. Owners of race-horses would most assuredly have logic on their side if they were to say to the powers that reign over Epsom heath, "You must do as much for us as we do for you." The case may be put in a nutshell in this way, namely, that the two great races run there—Oaks and Derby—bring to the Grand Stand exchequer a sum of at least £20,000, not one penny of which could be otherwise pocketed. Say that £5,000 will be required to defray expenses, and let a similar sum be allocated for division among the shareholders, and there would still remain £10,000 for division among those chivalrous sportsmen who enter their horses, and to these men might well be left the task of organising the division.

The most curious feature of Derby history is undoubtedly how the race came to be the property of any person or body of persons. It was named after the Earl of Derby when it was instituted in 1780, but, as has been mentioned, a long time elapsed before the afterwards great Epsom event became the popular meeting which it now is. Not till 1831 did the entry in any year exceed one hundred horses; so that up to that date, if all the subscribers paid their money, the value of the Derby—the figure was greatly dependent, of course, on the number of horses that came to the starting-post—would very seldom reach a sum of £3,000. Not till George Fordham steered Mr. Acton's Sir Bevys to victory in 1879 did the stake reach its highest value, when, with 278 entries and 22 runners, the sum must have amounted to £7,500, if all who entered their colts paid their stakes. But long before that son of Favonius had placed the Blue Ribbon of the Turf to the credit of his owner, the Epsom Summer Meeting had been placed on a thoroughly business footing, such a footing as has secured for many years a magnificent dividend to the proprietors of the grand stand, who are lessees of the course on which the Derby, Oaks, and other races have for so many years been run; but it has been said that so far as the gentlemen of England—who run colts in the Derby or fillies in the Oaks—and their foreign friends are concerned, they might as well write the names of their horses on pieces of paper, and shaking them together in a hat, select at random the first three and divide the money in accordance with the result of the draw. Minus the excitement attending the race, such a mode of procedure would be better than allowing their costly horses, provided at great expense, to run for the benefit of a body of persons who have a greater love—in all probability a far greater love—for a big dividend than for sport.

No more curious feature of our present-day civilisation exists than that a large body of gentlemen (and ladies as well) should enter a couple of hundreds of the finest horses bred in the kingdom to take part in a race for the benefit of a joint stock company!

As was recently said by a popular writer, the race for the Derby still attracts tens of thousands of people to Epsom to see it decided; but for all that it is thought by persons well qualified to offer an opinion that the great race has begun to decline, and that, unless those most interested in its popularity—namely, the lessees of the racecourse—take immediate steps to increase the value of the stake run for to a still greater extent than has been yet done the entries will diminish.

Gentlemen up till 1890 have run for their own money only, but as there are now several races where the stakes total up to a much higher sum than in the Derby, it stands to reason that owners of likely horses will prefer to run them for the races of greater value. The Company which claims to have a vested interest in the "Blue Ribbon of the Turf" will require to supplement the value of the race by adding a few more thousands to the stake. They have made a beginning, but they will require to do more in the way of money-giving if they are to keep pace with the big sums now offered as an inducement for men to enter horses in other stakes.

IV. THE TWO THOUSAND AND ONE THOUSAND GUINEAS.

"The titles make a big mark in the annals of the Two Thousand," wrote, a few years since, a well-known sporting journalist. And so they do, as a glance at the list of winning names will show.

The race was established in 1809, when it was won by Mr. Wilson's Wizard; and in the year following Lord Grosvenor captured the prize, beating eight competitors, with Hephestion by Alexander. Lord Darlington with Cwrw proved successful in 1812, whilst Sir C. Bunbury's Smolensko won in 1813. Lord Rous with Tigris followed in 1815, Lord G. Cavendish landed the stakes with Nectar in 1816. In two succeeding years, 1818-9, Lord Folley and Sir John Shelly gained Two Thousand honours with Interpreter and Antar respectively. Then come the three consecutive wins of the Duke of Grafton by the aid of Pindarrie, Reginald, and Pastile. Two Commoners follow, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Haffenden, their winners being Nicolo and Schahriar. Lord Exeter follows with Enamel, after which (1826-7) the Duke of Grafton adds two wins to the three he had previously achieved, the names of his winners being Dervise and Turcoman. After his Grace of Grafton comes the Duke of Rutland with Cadland. Lord Exeter is next enrolled on the Two Thousand scroll of honour, Patron and Augustus crediting him with the stakes in 1829-30. In 1831 Riddlesworth gave the prize to Lord Jersey. Wins by horses belonging to Colonel Peel and Lord Orford follow, and then Lord Jersey throws in for four consecutive triumphs, Glencoe, Ibrahim, Bay Middleton, and Achmet being the names of the victorious horses. Lords George Bentinck (twice) and Albemarle take the trophy in 1838-9-40-1. Lords Stradbroke, Enfield, Exeter, Derby, Zetland, Stamford, and Glasgow follow up. Then in 1874 comes the name of Lord Falmouth, and before his death it is twice repeated in the annals of the Two Thousand. Lords Dupplin and Lonsdale also win the race, as do the Dukes of Beaufort, Westminster, and Portland. Among the racing Commoners who have been credited with the Two Thousand Guineas we find the names of Mr. Bowes, who twice took the prize, and Mr. Merry, who won it on two occasions. The well-known names of Mr. Gully and Mr. Sutton, as also Count La Grange, Sir Joseph Hawley, and Mr. D. Baird, are likewise enrolled on the scroll of fame.

Horses which win or run prominently for the Guineas are not always entered for the Derby or St. Leger, but it happens that the double event of Two Thousand and Derby has fallen to the same horse on twelve occasions, the successful animals being:

1813. Smolensko. 1866. Lord Lyon.

1828. Cadland. 1869. Pretender.

1836. Bay Middleton. 1882. Shotover.

1853. West Australian. 1886. Ormonde.

1863. Macaroni. 1888. Ayrshire.

1865. Gladiateur. 1891. Common.

Four times the Two Thousand winner has also taken the St. Leger as well as the Derby: West Australian in 1853, Gladiateur in 1865, Lord Lyon in 1866, and Ormonde in 1886. The Two Thousand and Oaks were captured by Crucifix in 1840, and by Formosa in 1868. The double event of Two Thousand and St. Leger has been achieved by Sir Tatton Sykes, 1840, Stockwell, 1862, West Australian, 1853, The Marquis, 1862, Gladiateur, 1865, Lord Lyon, 1866, Formosa, 1868, Petrarch, 1876, and Ormonde, 1886.

Here is a little statement regarding the Two Thousand I have "rescued" from the sporting journals, in the columns of some of which it was recently "going the rounds." As will be seen, it is not without interest, showing as it does the relative performances of Two Thousand and Derby winners in each of those races for the past thirty-one years:

"The Two Thousand winner has started twenty-six times in that period for the Derby. He has won the latter race seven times, ran second six times, third four times, and unplaced nine. The Derby winner, in the same space, has competed seventeen times in the Two Thousand—seven times as a winner, four times second, four times third, and twice unplaced. It is interesting to note that the winner of the Two Thousand has succumbed in the Derby to a horse he had beaten in the Two Thousand on eight occasions, viz.: in 1861, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1877, 1881, 1883, and 1889."

As has been often said, the race for the Guineas greatly discounts the Derby. So it does. In some years indeed, as in 1891, it is in the nature of a rehearsal for the great event which takes place on Epsom Downs, just in the same way as the One Thousand frequently proves a preliminary canter for the Oaks, these two races having been taken on thirteen occasions by the same filly. Both sexes may try conclusions in the Two Thousand, but in the One Thousand and Oaks only fillies are eligible to compete.

It is a notable circumstance that, beginning in 1814, the first race for the One Thousand fell to Mr. Wilson, the same gentleman who was credited with the premier of the Two Thousand nine years previously.

One name makes a big mark in the annals of the One Thousand; it is that of the Duke of Grafton, who won the race five consecutive times, 1819-20-1-2-3, and then missing a year, came again to the front with three winners in the three years of 1825-6-7. The race has in its course fallen to many other distinguished members of the Peerage, the latest recipient of the prize being the Duke of Portland, who in 1890 landed the stakes by the aid of Semolina. Upon three occasions the triple event of One Thousand, Oaks, and St. Leger has been secured by the prowess of the same animal—Formosa, Hannah, and Apology, 1868, 1871, and 1874 respectively, Maidment and John Osborne being jockeys who were credited with the triple ride. The double event of One Thousand and St. Leger has fallen on five occasions to the same filly—Imperieuse, 1857, Achievement, 1867, Formosa, 1868, Hannah, 1871, and Apology, 1874.

It is not a little remarkable that, whilst the names of all the jockeys who have ridden winners of the St. Leger, Oaks, and Derby have been ascertained and preserved, no record has apparently been kept of the riders who won the Two Thousand during the first thirteen years, or of the jockeys who were so fortunate as to ride the winners of the One Thousand in the first eight years of its existence. The most fortunate horseman in connection with the Two Thousand seems to have been Robinson, who on nine several occasions was credited with the dux prize; he also on five occasions won the One Thousand. Most of the chief horsemen of the period have had successful mounts in these races; the veteran John Osborne, who is now retiring, has had a share of Guineas honours.

During many of the earlier years of the Two Thousand (notably from 1817 to 1846) the fields competing in the race seldom exceeded double figures; on two occasions only a couple faced the starter, the fortunate owner of the winner in both these years (1829-30) being Lord Exeter, with Patron and Augustus. During the last six years the number of horses starting for the Two Thousand have been 7, 6, 8, 6, 9, 9, respectively. In the case of the One Thousand the fields were much better, averaging over twelve; in no year have the entries for this race exceeded ninety, whilst the largest number of starters has been nineteen, and curiously enough nineteen formed the biggest field that has yet competed in the Two Thousand.

A series of interesting notes might be compiled about the Two Thousand and the horses which proved victorious in the race, as well as the men who owned and the jockeys who rode them to victory, but the larger portion of all that could be said has, I fear, been said already, and that more than once. The Duke of Grafton, Lord Jersey, Lord George Bentinck, Sir Joseph Hawley, Lord Falmouth, and other noble sportsmen have frequently been made the subject of eulogy. Of the victorious horses much has also been written; the praises of the never-defeated Bay Middleton, of West Australian, Galopin, Macaroni, and Gladiateur have been sung to a universal chorus of approbation ever since the record of their victories was written in the annals of the race.