CHAPTERS FROM TURF HISTORY 



much encouraged in England." To this question 

 Disraeli says, " I replied never more so : that 

 when I was young, though there were numerous 

 race-meetings, they were at intervals, and some- 

 times long intervals — Epsom, Ascot, Doncaster, 

 Goodwood and Newmarket frequently ; but now 

 there were races throughout the year — it might 

 be said every day in the year — and all much 

 attended." The letter continues : " The Prince 

 cried out eagerly, ' Then there never will be Social- 

 ism in England. You are a happy country. You 

 are safe as long as the people are devoted to racing. 

 Here a gentleman cannot ride down the street with- 

 out twenty persons saying to themselves or each 

 other, ' WTiy has that fellow a horse and I have 

 not one ? In England the more horses a nobleman 

 has the more popular he is. So long as the English 

 are devoted to racing Socialism has no chance with 

 you.' " ^ Alas ! for the infirmity of political vision ! 

 Disraeli formed his second Administration in 

 1874. In the following year his private corre- 

 spondence contains a reference to a defeat which 

 the horse of his friend Lord Bradford had sustained. 

 Writing to Lady Bradford on July 28, he said : 

 " Tell Bradford I was greatly disappointed that 

 his horse came in second. I cannot understand 

 why a great noble with his brains and knowledge 

 of horses does not command the Turf. I don't 

 want him to have a great stable, but I want him 

 to have a famous one ; that he should, at any 

 rate, obtain some first-rate blood and then carefully 

 and sedulously breed from it, as Rothschild did 

 with King Tom. I saw the beginning of his plan 



I Lije of Disraeli, vol. vi. p. 331. 

 114 



