THE KING AND RACING

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 931, 26 September 1910, Page 7

THE KING AND RACING

: ■ — f— TAKES AN ACTIVE INTEREST. : By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, September 23. King George is taking an active : interest; in; racing. He has mado liberal nominations for woight-for-age races to' be decided in 1911, 1912, and 1913, including events at the Newmarket, Doncaster, Liverpool, Newbury, and Hirst Park meetings. •:' : • A recent writer said of King George that, .while he did 1 not : ignore -the attractions, of. racing and-yachting,'as a sportsman ho prefore a mora cnorgctic field. He is:..firsfc jund-. foremost a. great, game 6hot.' -. A. plebiscite of sportsmen has paced him fourth—after the Marquis of Kipon '(bettor known, perhaps, .as Earl de - Grey),' lord .WalMhghain;. and Mr. Beadley Nobio—among the; remarkable shots in. this coma-try. .. There are' experts who would rivo him. the ''second ''place.. . The ; first - .incident -in King .Edward's racing, oareer 'was in a.steeplechase meeting; near Soulhall,: in 1871, when he ran a norse. The, late King's racing colours' were crimson, purple, , and-black, and were .■much; in evidence at steepleohase- meetings.l ' Before; 1891-he had turned' to 'flat racing,; and in 1896 his ;Persimmon' won : the Derby. In 1900 he won both the. bine - ribbands of . theturf; when- Diamond ' Jubilee, won the. Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and, the St. leger, and Am-' bush II thejGrand Nationals. That year -his; horses won in a11',£29,385..' ~ Ih 1888' the :.Commander-in-Chief. at. Portsmouth, Sir John Commerell, one day • received a - message' from the Prince of .Wales (Edward VII), saying that he ,mshed; to 6ee.liis'k>n at Goodwood.; The message ~ was ;' ';' delivered: to:. Prince ; George, but the Prince preferred to: think' of his duty .firsts His' I ,answer, although he . could: perfectly well have been spared on.'.the 'occasion,- was:' "Well, sir,-, but what;, is to - become of my torpedo-boat ?" Join . Commerell . replied: —" I think, Prince ■ George, - we can spare: you. for the day, and • your, father would :like to see you at' Goodwood." ; -"No, sir," replied the Prince,', "I; have got orders: to go out in ;mv torpedo-boat to Spithead, and:go I must.'- And soon afterwards his! Royal Highness was steaming/out to' sea -in the teeth of'aji':eajstorlrcEaie;;::u.r..T:'. ..ifj -V/;:''-