BRITISH TURF. 345 



of the superiority of British over continental travel- 

 ling. 



The races, which are annually held in Septem- 

 ber, a fortnight previous to the first Newmarket 

 October meeting, and continue a week, are pro- 

 ductive of much benefit to the visitors, not only 

 from London, but even the most distant parts of 

 the kingdom, and who expend large sums. 



The all-attractive feature of these races, the Gt. 

 St. Leger stakes, have increased in popularity and 

 importance, from the first moment of their estab- 

 lishment to the present day. These celebrated 

 stakes had their origin in 1776, when we find, on 

 reference to the Racing Calendar for that year, that 

 a sweepstakes of 25 gs. each, for three year old 

 colts, 8st., fillies 7st. 121bs. one two mile heat, was 

 run for on the 24th. of September ; 6 subscribers. 



This stake was won by a brown bay filly of Lord 

 Rockingham's, by Sampson beating five others.* 

 Old Singleton, the jockey who rode her, died about 

 1801. 



But it was not until 1778, that this race was 

 announced in the Racing Calendar, as the St. Leger 

 stakes. Col. St. Leger, who lived at that period, 

 at Park Hill, near Doncaster, suggested the idea 



* In this race, she beat Col. St. Leger's bay filly, by Surley, Mr. 

 Wentworth's Oretus by Dodge, Lord Scarborough's chest-colt, by 

 Remus, and Mr. Foljambes' bay filly, by a son of Black Sky. She 

 started several times afterwards, but was unsuccessful. 



