OF FARIUKHY. 



435 



The former was named the Oaks, after Earl 

 Derby's seat in Surrey ; it was first contested 

 for in 1779, and the Noble Earl had the proud 

 gratification of first winning it with his mare 

 Brido^et, by King Herod out of Jemima by 

 Snap, beating a field of eleven. He also won 

 t!ie same stake with Herraione, by Sir Peter 

 out of Paulina, in 1794. He purchased 

 Annette, by Eclipse, of Mr. Vernon, after 

 winning the Oaks in 1787, and had the mor- 

 tification, if such it could be to him (which 

 we much doubt), to have her beaten the fol- 

 lowing day in a match with Lord Clermont's 

 Bullfinch, 7^t. 61b., a mile and a half, for 

 300gs. she carrying 8st. 61b. 



The Noble Earl very often started a filly 

 for the Oaks ; and although he only succeed- 

 ed in gaining the stake twice, he ran in second 

 with Lady Teazle, Lady Jane^ and Margaret, 

 though he did not in that day, as now, gain 

 100 sovs. for so doing, the honour secondary 

 being all the advantage. 



The year following the establi.sliment of the 

 Oaks, the Derby Stake was originated, and 

 honoured with the title of our levcred Peer. 

 Fortune decreed that he should but once 

 obtain that prize ; but then it was to be won 

 with such a Horse, that had his noble owner 

 never bred another but him, would have shed 

 a wreath of honour round his brow that would 

 distinguish him for evermore ; no less than 

 Sir Peter Teazle. 



Coeval with his appearance on the Turf, he 

 established his own Stud Farm at Knowsley, 

 which has during a long series of years 

 boasted the possession of many valuable and 

 esteemed mares. 



The noble Earl continued his powerful sup- 

 port to the Newmarket meetings until the 

 year 1796, during which period he pi educed 



HQany valuable and greatly esteemed Horses. 

 The splendour, however, of tliem all was Sir 

 Peter Teazle, who made his first appearance 

 in 1787 ; and after a victorious campaign, that 

 spread far and wide the fame not only of him- 

 self but his sire Highflyer, he was removed to 

 the stud at Knowsley at the close of the year 

 1789, at the then high price of ten guineas and 

 a half, and here as well as on the course, his 

 e.xcellence was in succeeding years made more 

 and more manifest. It may be honestly as- 

 serted, he proved himself the most valued 

 sire of his day ; and tell me, ye who can, 

 where is the breeder of any judgment in our 

 own times who will not rejoice to see the Sir 

 Peter cross in the pedigrees of all his stock ! 



During the year 1796, the noble Earl started 

 nothing in public ; and at the commencement 

 olthe following year his noble Countess paid 

 the debt of frail mortality. 



The second partner of the Earl of Derby, 

 whom he married two years after, was the 

 beautiful Miss Farren, the celebrated actress. 



To return to the turf history of the honoured 

 Peer, we proceed to notice his racing career 

 since the year 1797. He now almost entirely 

 retired from running Horses at Newmarket, 

 and henceforth the provincials in his own dis- 

 trict met in him a very liberal and constant 

 supporter, and, amongst many other places, to 

 none more than the town of Preston. At the 

 race meetings and cockings in that place, the 

 noble Earl for many successive years was a 

 regular visitant, possessed a fine large mansion 

 in the centre of the town, in which he always 

 resided at these periods, and contributed very 

 considerably, by his presence and beneficence, 

 to the welfare and advantage of the inhabitants, 

 until, in an unfortunate and deeply deplored 

 (by the good folk of Preston) period of mad 

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