24 RACING. 



increasing the number of royal plates, but actually running for 

 them in her own name. For example : at York, in 1712, Her 

 Majesty's grey gelding, Pepper, ran for the Royal Gold Cup, 

 value ioo/. ; and again, Mustard, described as a nutmeg-grey 

 horse, another of Her Majesty's racing stud, ran for the same 

 stake in 1713. 



The last mention made of any racehorse belonging to 

 the Queen is for a sweepstakes, or, as it was then called, stakes 

 of 109^. with a plate of 4o/. added, run for over the same 

 course near York, on Friday, July 30, 1714, the weight being 

 ii stone. This was won by the Queen's bay horse Star in 

 four 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 the third and to save his distance, in 

 order to entitle him to the prizes. 



On the Monday following, during a race for a gold cup, 

 value 6o/., with a sweepstakes of sixteen guineas, an express 

 arrived with advice of the death of Her Majesty. Most of 

 the nobility and gentry left the course and attended the Lord 

 Mayor of York and Archbishop Dawes, who proclaimed His 

 Majesty King George I. 



The fact of the non-existence of any authentic informa- 

 tion as to the running of racehorses before the commence- 

 ment 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 published may 

 be depended upon.' 



Among the names worthy of notice that we find mentioned 

 in this work as owners of racehorses, are those of Mr. Childers, 

 better known as the breeder of Flying or Devonshire Childers ; 

 Mr. Curwin, who imported the barbs known by the names 

 of the Curwin Bay Barb and the Thoulouse Barb ; Mr. Darley, 

 the importer of the Arabian called by his name, the sire of 

 Childers \ Mr. Darcy, who brought over the horses known in 



