CHAPTER III 

 ASCOT AND GOODWOOD 



Ascot the most important meeting of the year — Star performers — The course — 

 The best and worst of it — State of going — Suggestions for improving the run-in 

 — Analysis of programme — The gradients— The Cup Course — Old and new 

 miles — The stands badly placed — Value of the stakes — The Goodwood Course 

 —Comparison with Newmarket — Straight miles — None at Goodwood — Date 

 of fixture — Low charges — Two-year-old racing — Panorama from stands and 

 paddock — Birdless Grove — Distance from London — Chichester — Neighbour- 

 ing villages — Places available for visitors to meeting — Drive from London — 

 Cabs and vans — Road from Chichester — Chain-horses — Queen's Plate Course 

 — Cup Course — Other courses used — Goodwood programme — Value of stakes 

 — Analysis of programme — Stabling dear — Two trainers' bills for meeting — 

 Goodwood Cup — Winners thereof. 



ASCOT 



ASCOT is by far the most important race meeting of the 

 Ix. year. Every race on its four-day programme is of 

 importance, and its Gold Cup is almost invariably won by 

 the very best horse in training. To compare Royal Ascot 

 with other meetings to its detriment is not possible. The 

 going is nothing like so good as that of Newmarket, and 

 it is an expensive meeting to those of its visitors who take 

 up their quarters in the neighbourhood for the week ; the 

 journey from town on any of the race days is an un- 

 comfortable business ; the accommodation for horses is very 

 dear, not very plentiful, and nothing like so good as that to 

 be found at the Park fixtures ; yet, in spite of all drawbacks, 

 Ascot, both from a social and sporting point of view, is the 

 king of race meetings. 



In regard to its position with most meetings, we can 

 liken it to the London theatre and the country theatre. At 

 the first-named, or rather at some of the first-named, one 



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