44 



" . . . Gentlemen went on breeding their horses 

 so fine for the sake of shape and speed only. Those 

 animals which were only second, third or fourth rates 

 in speed were considered to be quite useless. This 

 custom continued until the reign of Queen Anne, when 

 a public spirited gentleman (observing inconvenience 

 arising from this exclusiveness) left thirteen plates 

 or purses to be run for at such places as the Crown 

 should appoint. Hence they are called the King's 

 or Queen's Plates or Guineas. They were given 

 upon the condition that each horse, mare or gelding 

 should carry twelve stone weight, the best of three 

 heats over a four-mile course. By this method a 

 stronger and more useful breed was soon raised ; and 

 if the horse did not win the guineas, he was yet 

 strong enough to make a good hunter. By these 

 crossings as the jockeys term it we have horses 

 of full blood, three-quarters blood, or half bred, 

 suitable to carry burthens ; by which means the 

 English breed of horses is allowed to be the best 

 and is greatly esteemed by foreigners." 



Whether the money for the royal plates 

 was provided, as Berenger states, from the 

 Queen's own purse, at the instance of her 

 consort, or whether it came from the estate 

 of the public spirited gentleman referred to 

 by the contributor to the Sporting Magazine, 

 the fact remains that these plates were 

 established in Anne's reign, and that they 

 did something to encourage the production 

 of a better stamp of horse. An animal able 

 to carry twelve stone three four-mile heats 

 must be one of substance, and not merely 

 a racing machine. 



