i8 THE TURF 



Earl of Albemarle; and assisted by the 

 valuable services of Mr. Worley, many years 

 stud-groom to his Royal Highness the late 

 Duke of York. Some amusing anecdotes 

 are on record, touching the rather incon- 

 gruous association of our sailor-king with 

 the turf, one of which we will venture to 

 repeat. Previously to the first appearance 

 of the royal stud in the name of William iv., 

 the trainer had an audience of his Majesty, 

 and humbly requested to be informed what 

 horses it was the royal pleasure should be 

 sent to Goodwood. c Send the whole 

 squadron,' said the King ; ' some of them, 

 I suppose, will win.' l 



Previously to 1753 there were only two 

 meetings in the year at Newmarket 2 for the 

 purpose of running horses, one in the spring, 

 and another in October. At present there 

 are seven, distinguished by the following 



1 It is proper to remark, that the withdrawing the 

 royal stud was compensated by additional King's 

 Plates, and by his Majesty's present to the Jockey 

 Club of the splendid challenge-prize the Eclipse Foot, 

 still in Mr. Batson's keeping. 



2 Although other places claim precedence over New- 

 market as the early scenes of public horse-racing, it is 

 nevertheless the metropolis of the turf, and the only 



