340 HISTORY OF THE EOYAL BUCKHOUNDS AND ASCOT EACES. 



was at his hunting lodge in A\^indsor Forest for a short sojourn ; 

 he was absorbed in military affairs. The King and the Prin- 

 cesses stayed at Kensington Palace. The Prince of Wales gave 

 his spare time to hunting in the New Forest and yachting 

 about the Nore. The ordinary followers of the Royal Buck- 

 hounds apparently had a good season, there having (according 

 to the official certificate of the jMaster) been killed and hunted 

 with the pack 64 stags and 21 hinds. 



Ascot Races were announced to come off on Tuesday, Wed- 

 nesday, Thursday, and Friday, the 1st, 2nd, .3rd, and 4th of 

 August. The race for the first day was for a Purse of 50^., by 

 hunters that had never started for match or plate, and used as 

 regular hunters, which had been in at the death of a leash of 

 stags in Windsor Forest " this season," carrying 12 stone; the 

 second day a Plate of 50^., free to any horses that had never won 

 above 50^. at any one time (bar in matches), those of full age 

 to carry 11 stone, six-year-olds 10 stone, five-year-olds and 

 under that age, 9 stone ; the third day 501. was to be run for 

 by the hunters belonging to the huntsmen, yeomen prickers, 

 and keepers, carrying 12 stone ; and on the last day the prize 

 was 50/'. for any horse, mare, or gelding carrying 10 stone. 

 Each of these races was three heats of four miles a heat. The 

 entrance money was as in the year 1744, but the winners were 

 now called upon to pay five guineas " towards mending the 

 course." Three to run, or do race. The competitors to be 

 shown at Sunning-hill Wells on July 24, and to run according 

 to the articles submitted on the day of entry. We can find 

 no return of the results of this meeting except as to the 

 Hunter's Plate, which was won by JNIr. Withers' chestnut 

 horse Windsor by the first two heats, defeating Mr. Buckley's 

 bay gelding Speaker, and Mr. Fisher's bay horse Ramper. 

 Possibly the other items in the programme did not fill. 



1750. — The King was abroad ; the Duke of Cumberland was 

 principally occupied with military affairs, consequently we 

 hear hardly anything of the Royal Buckhounds in the hunting 



