BRITISH TURF. 515 



CHAPTER XII. 



The celebrated race-horse, Echpse. 



Eclipse was a chesnut horse, foaled during the 

 great echpse that happened in the year 1764, 

 from which he took his name. He was bred by 

 H.R.H. William, Duke of Cumberland, and pur- 

 chased after His Royal Highness 's decease, by Mr. 

 William Wildman,^ who afterwards sold liim to 

 Dennis O 'Kelly, Esq. Eclipse was got by Marske 

 out of Spiletta. 



At Epsom, May 3rd, 1769, Eclipse (the first 

 time of his starting) won £50, for horses that 

 never won £30, matches excepted ; five years old, 

 8st., and six years old, 9st. 31b., four mile heats ; 

 beating Mr. Fortesque's Gower, by Sweepstakes, 



* Mr. Wildman was a salesman at Smithfield, and kept for many- 

 years a good stud of race-horses at Mickleham, near Epsom, where 

 he also took in horses to train. Having received a hint of the supe- 

 riority of this horse, he attended the sale ; but before his arrival, the 

 colt had been knocked down at seventy guineas. On looking at his 

 watch, and perceiving that the appointed hour of sale had not yet ar- 

 rived by a few minutes, according to the terms of the advertisement, 

 he persisted that the sale was not lawful, and that the lots knocked 

 dovm. should be resold, which was done accordingly, and Eclipse was 

 purchased by him for seventy-five guineas. 



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