BRITISH TURF. 519 



man 650 gs. for a half share of him ; and after- 

 wards bought the other half for 1,100 gs., and even 

 at that price, he certainly was the cheapest horse 

 ever purchased. 



Eclipse was never beat, and was allowed by 

 all ranks of sportsmen to be the fleetest horse that 

 ever ran in England, since the time of Childers. 



Eclipse covered at Clay Hill, near Epsom, 

 Surrey, in 1771, at 50 gs. and one guinea the 

 groom ; in 1772-74, at 25 gs. and IO5. 6d. ; after- 

 wards, by subscription, forty mares, besides those 

 of his owner, at 30 gs. and one guinea ; in 1779, 

 not by subscription, at 30 gs. and one guinea ; in 

 1781-84, he was stinted to fifty mares, besides 

 those of his owner, at 20 gs. and one guinea ; in 

 1785-86, forty mares, besides those of his owner, 

 at 30 gs. and one guinea ; in 1 787-88, twenty-five 

 mares, besides those of his owner, at 30 gs. and 

 one guinea. After which. Eclipse was advertised 

 to cover at the same price, at Cannons, Middlesex, 

 to which he was removed from Epsom in his car- 

 riage. The machine had four wheels, was drawn 

 by two horses, and the groom was an inside pas- 

 senger."^ 



Mr. O 'Kelly affirmed, that he gained by Eclipse 

 £25,000 and upwards. This was more money than 

 we ever remember to have fallen to the share of any 



* We believe this to be the first instance in which a van, drawn by 

 horses, (now so generally in use) was employed in conveying a race- 

 horse. 



