THE TURF 15 



time j in the fourth year of his reign Eclipse 

 was foaled, and from that period may English 

 racing be dated \ 



George iv. outstripped all his royal pre- 

 decessors on the turf, in the ardour of his 

 pursuit of it, and the magnificence of his 

 racing establishment. Indeed, the epithet 

 * delighting in horses/ applied by Pindar 

 to Hiero, might be applied to him, for no 

 man could have been fonder of them than 

 he was, and his judgment in everything 

 relating to them was considered excellent. 

 He was the breeder of several first-rate 

 race-horses, amongst which was Whiskey, 

 the sire of Eleanor (the only winner of 

 the Derby and Oaks great stakes); and 

 a,lso Gustavus, who won the Derby for Mr. 

 Hunter. Our present gracious monarch 

 bred upon another element has no taste 

 for this sport ; but continued it for a short 

 time after his brother's death to run out 

 his engagements, and also with a view of 

 not throwing a damp over a pastime of 

 such high interest to his subjects. It was 

 at one time given out that his Majesty had 

 consented to keep his horses in training, 

 provided he did not lose more than four 



