46 THE TURF 



every year is a good field for the Ascot Cup, but the 

 average of runners is only from three to four, and it is 

 perhaps not unnatural that this should be so. Two or 

 three horses nearly always stand out by themselves, if, 

 indeed, one animal does not appear to do so, and as 

 there are here no penalties or allowances (beyond the 

 inevitable 3 lbs. for mares and geldings), few owners 

 care to submit their horses to the ordeal of a prepara- 

 tion for a struggle over two miles and a half, with a 

 very faint prospect of victory. Three-year-olds carry 

 7 St. 7 lbs., four-year-olds 9 St., five, six, and aged 9 st. 

 4 lbs. But when worthy opponents are in opposition 

 it is truly a great race. The Goodwood Cup is 

 weight-for-age with a difference. One horse may be 

 penalised 21 lbs., another may be allowed 14 lbs., if a 

 maiden four-year-old, 8 lbs. in addition if bred in 

 British colonies or dependencies, making 22 lbs. in all, 

 so that one four-year-old might have to give another 

 no less a weight than 3 st. i lb. 



About the year 1884 it occurred to the managers of 

 Sandown Park to inaugurate a race that should be the 

 richest in England, and ingeniously to do so in a way 

 that would not be likely to cost them anything ; for 

 these gate-money meetings are commercial speculations, 

 whatever they may do for the sport. A round sum of 

 ^10,000 was to be the prize, and owners were to 

 subscribe it out of their own pockets, though if a 

 sufficient number of entries were not obtained there 

 might be an amount for the Club to make up. The 



