388 HISTORY OF THE 



over the same course near York, on Friday the 

 30th July, 1714, the weight being 11 stone, and 

 which was won by the Queen's bay horse, Star, 

 in 4 heats: — for according to the rules of racing 

 at this time, the horse which had won the first and 

 second heats, was obliged to start for a third, and 

 to save his distance in order to entitle him to the 

 prizes."^ 



On the Monday following, during the race for a 

 gold cup, value £60, with a sweepstakes of 16 

 guineas, an express arrived with advice of the 

 death of her Majesty, Queen Anne ; when it is 

 related that most of the nobility and gentry left 

 the course, and attended the Lord Mayor of York 

 and Archbishop Dawes, who proclaimed his Ma- 

 jesty, King George I. 



The fact of the non-existence of any authentic 

 information as to the running of race-horses 

 previous to the commencement of the year 1727, 

 is further established by the following note in 

 Mr. Cheney's work: — " During the six preceding 

 years," the author writes, ''there was no regular 

 account kept how the horses, &c., came in ; but 

 as I have taken pains to inform myself, in the 

 best manner I could, I hope that what is pub- 

 lished may be depended upon. In the year 



* In tbe year 1710, the first gold cup given by her Majesty, 

 Queen Anne, was of 60 guineas value, afterwards increased to 100 

 guineas value, and run for by six year old horses, carrying 12st. each, 

 the best of three four mile heats. In 1721, his Majesty, George I 

 gave 100 guineas in specie in lieu of the gold cup. 



