RACE COURSES 153 



expenses. For every horse trained at Newmarket a 

 Heath Tax of seven guineas is charged ; owners 

 almost invariably provide their horses with distinctive 

 clothing — some have two suits, one for general use on 

 the training ground, the other, which frequently 

 reproduces or suggests the colours, for use on the 

 racecourse. Caps and jackets have also to be bought 

 for the jockeys ; there are saddlers' bills, and, not 

 seldom, accounts for veterinary attendance. If an 

 owner breeds his own animals, there is the cost of 

 paddocks, of men to look after the mares, and fees for 

 the services of sires, which may be anything down- 

 wards from 500 guineas — the primary cost of a possible 

 St. Simon foal. As for the rewards, the Duke of 

 Portland in 1889 headed the list of winning owners 

 with ^73,858. That sum stands out by itself, most 

 nearly approached by Mr. H. B. McCalmont's 

 ;^37,674 in 1894. From the winning totals entries 

 and forfeits have to be deducted. If an owner bets, 

 the cost of racing may be reduced or enhanced ; as a 

 general rule he will, at any rate in the long run, find 

 himself a loser by taking the odds. 



RACE COURSES 



By general consent the best meeting of the year is 

 held at Ascot. The sport here is consistently good, 

 and it is the one place where no selling race is found 

 in the programme. There are only five handicaps 

 during the four days over which the meeting extends. 



