36 TALES OF THE TURF AND THE CHASE. 



described as ' the greatest ever decided in England.' Upwards 

 of 40,000 persons assembled on the course, which was so incon- 

 veniently crowded that it was alleged that the pressure of the 

 throng seriously interfered with the race ; and it was for that 

 reason that the Oatland Stakes were the next year removed to 

 Newmarket, where, as there were no railways and only inferior 

 coaching service in those days, the company was always more 

 select than numerous. The race for the Stakes was a splendid 

 one. The authority which we have already quoted says that you 

 might have almost covered the first four horses with a blanket. 

 The favourite, however, was beaten, the Prince of Wales's Baronet 

 being first, and Chanticleer third, with Escape fourth, not a neck 

 from Lord Barrymore's horse. Two hundred and fifty thousand 

 guineas are said to have changed hands on the result, and Lord 

 Barrymore himself lost nearly 20,000/. So severely was the 

 young plunger hit that year that the next season saw his stud 

 reduced to thirteen, with forty-one engagements. For the first 

 time in his racing career he was able at the close of the year to 

 show a balance in his favour of some ten thousand. But what 

 he did win on the Turf he lost at play. In a single evening he 

 lost 2800 guineas to the Duke of Bedford at ' all fours,' and his 

 reckless betting at whist excited a sort of contemptuous wonder 

 on the part of the great players who formed the objects of his 

 speculation. 



We have spoken above of Lord Barrymore's aptitude for 

 writing verses. As an illustration we may give the following 

 anecdote : At the Second Newmarket Spring Meeting of 1791, 

 Lord Barrymore matched the horse of a third party against a 

 favourite horse of the Duke of Bedford's for 500 guineas. The 

 articles were drawn up and signed, but unfortunately Lord 

 Barrymore had made too sure of obtaining the consent of the 

 third party ; for the latter, after the match had been made, 

 declined to let his horse run, on the ground that he had not been 

 consulted before the terms of the match had been agreed to. 

 As it was a P.r. match there was nothing for it but. to pay for- 

 feit, which Lord Barrymore accordingly prepared to do. But 

 the Duke of Bedford good-humouredly proposed to let Lord 

 Barrymore off the bet on condition that his lordship should com- 

 pose a song upon the unaccommodating third party, the first 

 letter of each line to be one of the letters in the name of the 

 person in question, and the initial letters of the lines of the song, 

 when read downwards, to form the name of the said party and 



