270 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



Barb — to the last he was pronounced by Lord 

 Godolphin to be an Arabian — inasmuch as he 

 was at one period of his life driven in a water 

 cart in the streets of Paris. He died in 1753, 

 and his remains lie under the stable gateway at 

 Gog Magog, near Cambridge. 



After the race meeting known as Royal Ascot 

 had been inaugurated by Queen Anne, in 17 12, 

 the tone of the Turf in England greatly improved. 

 The rules of racing were revised, and more atten- 

 tion was paid to their enforcement. Also steps 

 were taken to prevent " undesirable and roguish 

 persons" from "indulging in their wicked and 

 thievish habits " — in short, a serious attempt was 

 made to purify the Turf, as the process is termed 

 now. 



To what extent this alleged purification proved 

 effectual we are not told, but a number of persons 

 who probably were considered "undesirable and 

 roguish," were, about the year 1718, ordered to 

 "abstain from attending the meetings," a com- 

 mand that most likely was the equivalent for 

 being warned off the Turf, and apparently is the 

 first actual allusion to warning off the Turf that 

 is to be found mentioned in history. It has even 

 been maintained that the inauguration of the 

 Jockey Club, believed to have taken place in 



