244 HISTOKT OF THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS AND ASCOT RACES, 



the 6th and 7th to the 11th and 12th of August. The number 

 of horses which started and the winners have not been pre- 

 served, so far as we can ascertain. All we know is that for 

 the Queen's Plate of 100 guineas ( = 107/. lO.s.) four horses 

 were entered — viz., Lord Raylton's brown bay ; Lord Craven's 

 grey horse ; Sir William Goring's brown bay ; and Mrs. Orme's 

 bay horse. The 50 Guinea Plate obtained a better entry — 

 viz., the Duke of St. Albans' chestnut horse, Doctor ; Mr. 

 Elwell's grey horse, Have-at-All ; Mr. Smith's grey gelding, 

 Teauge ; Mr. William Hall's bay-stone horse, Dimple ; Mr. 

 John Biddolph's brown bay horse, Flint; Mr. Charles May's 

 grey gelding, Grey Jack ; and Mr. Merrit's iron-grey stone 

 liorse, Grim. As an accessory to the races there was to be 

 " back-sword playing for pieces of plate " — this entertainment 

 to begin "at eight o'clock in the morning." 



There is very little doubt that this was the first race-meeting 

 ever held at Ascot ; for we learn from the Declared Accounts 

 of Charles, Duke of Somerset, Master of the Horse, that the 

 sum of 558/. 19^. 6d. had been paid "to sundry workmen 

 employed in making and perfecting the round Heat on Ascot 

 Common in the months of July and August 1711"; that a 

 carpenter received 15/. 2s. 8f/. " for setting up posts and other 

 carpenter's work on the said common in the month of Sep- 

 tember .1711 " ; and that 1/. Is. 6d. was paid to Mr. John 

 Grape "for engrossing the Articles for Her Majesty's Plate, 

 run for at Ascot Common." 



A second race-meeting was held at Ascot in the ensuing 

 month. On Monday, September 17, a Plate of 30 guineas 

 was run for by any horse, mare, or gelding, carrying 10 stone, 

 that never won in money or plate the value of 20/. On 

 Tuesday, the 18th, a Plate of 20/. was run for by any horse, 

 etc., that never won 20/. For the 30/. Plate the following 

 were entered : The Duke of Somerset's grey horse. Crofts ; 

 Mr. Barber's chestnut gelding, Speedy Cut ; and Mr. Edmund's 

 dark-brown gelding, Hoboy. The 20/. Plate, run for on the 

 following day, secured a like support — viz.. Sir William 

 Wyndham's grey gelding, Cricket; Lord Lifford's nutmeg 



