ROMANCES OF FAMOUS HORSERACES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 133, 3 July 1909, Page 3

ROMANCES OF FAMOUS HORSERACES.

One or the most interesting features of classical Turf events is their age. inuccu, u is necessary to go back to tnc oeginn.iig oi tnc eighteenth and 'iiinelueiiiii centuries lor tnc uate oi origin ot some ot mem, ana many volumes count still De written concerning tlieir romance ana historv.

lake tnc Ascot itaces, for instance, at umcli Royalty ana the elite loregather ill iney were real-y louuu. ea uy yucen Auue in IVII, and iviugs 'ami Queens have been more or less ultimately associated with them ever since. Jiveu Queen Victoria, wlio was little given to norsc-raeiiig, had many recollections oi Ascot. Sue went mere lirst as a young girl in ISUi, and on that occasion gave a dilU note to the winning jockey, Little Bell, and when she did so asked the boy his weight. "Please, ma'am," he answered, "master says as now 1 must never tell my weight to anybody." ROYAL VICTORIES. When Persimmon won the Ascot Gold Cup for King Edward there were scenes of unparnlle.ed enthusiasm. But even these did not equal the excitement in 1801, when George, Prince of Wales (later George IV.), won the most sensational race ever -witnessed on Ascot 1 Common. A million pounds was saio to have been staked, and when Chifney, on the Prince's Baronet, snatched a victory by half a head, iwith live other horses running neck and neck to within a few yards of the winning-post, the enthusiasm of the forty thousand spectators was boundless. "I made fourteen baronets last week," said George 111. to his son when congratulating him, "but your Baronet is worth all ruhic put together." * It was the third Duke of Richmond

->-ho started the Goodwood Races in 1800—a meeting which has rivalled Ascot in its attraction of Royalty and Society people. One of the most memorable races for the Goodwood Cup was that of 1830, when King William IV. entered three horses, which came iu lirst, second, and third for that event. ELOPED WITH LORD DERBY'S DAUGHTER. Ascot and the St. Leger excepted, the Derby is the oldest classical event on the English Turf, the first, race being run in 1780. It was a captain Burgoync —who amazed society in 1743 by eloping with Lady Charlotte Stanley, daughter of the Earl of Derby—who really founded the race.. He purchased an estate near Bahstcad Downs to stimulate -ho native breeding of horses, and instituted the famous Derby Stakes in 1780. How many have wanted to win the Derby and havc been disappointed. More than one Lord Derby would havc given worlds for the honor. It was Lord G..i>--gow's ambition in a long life, but he only got second once. The Dukes of BeEu.ort and Hamilton took nearly all Hi.! other classics, but not the Derby; and so the list of men who have Spent fortunes in striving for success in this historical race might be prolonged. One of the most successful Derby winners was probably John Gully, the n. ui who rose from the prize-ring to the House of Commons. In 1830 be won £IOO,OOO over his horses, St. Giles and Margrave, when they won the Derby and St. Leger. ■ He invested much of this money in collieries, and by this I means is said to have doubled his fortune.

1000 TO a AGAINST. The St. Leger, the 6econd oldest horse-racing event in this country, was founded four years before the Derby. It takes its name from the famous Doncaster sportsman, Colonel St. Leger (really pronounced "Sillinger," although it is generally pronounced as spelt by the majority). It is a race which never fails to arouse enthusiasm in the North, and in the days before railways laborers living fifty miles away would save up their shillings weeks before, walk to Doncaster, see the race, and walk home

again. Many memorable St. Lcgers have taken place, including two deadheats, while on one occasion a horse named Theodore, against whom the odds bad been quoted at 1000 to a walkingstick—or, officially, 1000 to a—won. One hundred years ago the race for the Two Thousand Guineas, which King Edward won the other day, was instituted the year after the founding of the Chester Cup. The title of the former race originated from the fact that it ( was established as a sweepstake of 100 guineas each,-and the subscribers numbered twenty; while the One Thousand Guineas had the same conditions with ten subscribers, and was therefore called the One Thousand Guineas. One of the greatest races in connection with the Two Thousand was when Donovan was considered such a certainty that odds of 85 to 20 were laid on him in a field of nine. Tom Cannon, however, was riding a bad-tempered horse named Enthusiast, who would only go when he liked. And he did like on that day, and Cannon pulled off the race by a head.

PRIZE-FIGHTING JOCKEY. Both the Cesarewitch and the Grand National were founded seventy years ago, in which year also the Cambridgeshire was established. The Grand National was first run by a syndicate of sportsmen who had acquired the Icasi. of the grand stand and racecourse at, Aintree, where from time immemorial the Liverpool races had been held. This syndicate decided on v a steeplechase on a" grander scale than had hitherto been attempted; hence the name, Grand National. This race had bexm -notable for the number of gentlemen riders who have succeeded in bringing their mounts first past "the post, and there are still old sportsmen in the North w)io rememberthc race of 1848, when John Brown, the 'well-known prize-fighter, bet Captain Allcync that lie would be in the fourth field from home when "the winner passed the post. Hut when Becker's Hrook was reached the second time his horse, who was palpably unfit, came to dire •rriuf, and gave the venturesome pugilist such a toss as lost him his senses' for thj time being, as well as his wager.

RACE FOR £IO,OOO. The Eclipse Stakes is a race of more modern origin, being established 'n ISSO. When the Sandown Park Race Committee announced that they intended to give a fortune at once in the shape of £lo,ool'. :'■ lips'ing all previous prizes, no .-: i sensation was created in the racing world. The distinction of riding the winner of the first ten thousand belongs to Tom Cannon, who brought Bendigo home in a canter. The race for tlie Eclipse Stakes of 1802 was memorable on account of the fact that the late Duke of entered his horse Ornie. who was pro-1 iiounrcd favorite for the Derby that year, but was reported to have been j got at, so did not run. He ultimately won the Eclipse Stakes by a neck.—Tit Bits.