CHAPTERS FROM TURF HISTORY 



horse, Samson. The race was at that time a Sweep- 

 stakes over a two-mile course, and was the first 

 race ever run for three-year-olds at Doncaster. 

 On that occasion Rockingham, Mr. Wentworth, 

 Mr. Foljambe, and Mr. St. Leger were responsible 

 for the six entries and the five starters. Two 

 years later Rockingham named the race after 

 Mr. St. Leger, with whom it had originated.^ 



Rockingham in his official business appears to 

 have had an excellent counsellor in Sir George 

 Savile.* This Yorkshire worthy thus WTites to 

 the Prime Minister : " You advertize that George 

 Grenville should have continued Minister, if you 

 ride the heat as he did. He waited and lay in a 

 good place till he came to the ending post. I 

 beseech you make the p\a.y if you are stout." 

 Sounder advice was never given to a Minister. 

 Even the serious Burke could defend his chief 

 against the unctuous critics of that date who 

 *' charged him with jockeyship, as they were pleased 

 to style it, as though any diversion could become 

 noblemen in general better than that by which 

 the breed of one of the noblest and most useful 

 animals is much improved." 



Rockingham's training quarters were on Langton 

 Wold, close by the stables of White wall, where 

 John Scott in later days made his great name as 

 a master of the trainer's art. On those breezy 



I Eclipse and O'Kelly, by Sir Theodore Cook, p. 57. 



» Sir George Savile was Member for Yorkshire 1759-83. He was 

 invited to take part in Rockingham's Administration, but with a 

 candour habitual to him, he declined the offer, alleging that as an 

 independent Member of Parliament he could better serve his friends. 

 Faction has spared his name. He died in 1781 (Nichol's Recollec- 

 iions, vol. i. p. 41 ; Albemarle, Life of Rockingham, vol. i. p. 227). 



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