CHAPTER VII 

 MODERN ENCLOSED COURSES 



Rise of modern enclosures — Sandown Park — Ladies as race-goers — Inaugurators 

 of mammoth prizes — The Eclipse Stakes considered — Winners of the Eclipse 

 Stakes — Orme and La Fleche — Orme's St. Leger — George Barrett's orders — 

 Field for the Eclipse Stakes in 1894 — Value thereof — Other events run at 

 Sandown — As to the course — The Steeplechase Course — Racing at Kempton 

 Park — Its principal meetings — The Jubilee Stakes — Bendigo and Minting — 

 Other winners of the race — Victor Wild — The people's horse — His great 

 popularity — Clwyd's victory — Discreditable circumstances — Hurst Park — 

 Always good going — Eager and Royal Flush — Gatwick and Lingfield — Cup 

 course at Gatwick — Harrow's record — Alexandra Park Races — Portsmouth 

 Park — Midland enclosures — Derby fixtures — Leicester — Objection to racing 

 on the part of some of the residents — Colwick Park — Birmingham — Well- 

 placed stands — Upper section of Turf world — Manchester — Hotel accommoda- 

 tion — The racecourse — St. Angelo's mishap — Stories of the late Duchess of 

 Montrose — Programmes — Manchester Cup — Winners of Lancashire Plate — 

 Gosforth Park, its grand course — The Northumberland Plate — Barcaldine — 

 His great performance — Underhand — Caller Ou — The Seaton Delaval Stakes 

 — Scottish racing. 



THE modern racing enclosure is a product of the last 

 quarter of the century, and with the general public it 

 has secured an enormous amount of popularity. It differs 

 from the old-fashioned country course in that it is fenced 

 in and everyone made to pay, instead of being placed on 

 common or public land, where a charge could only be 

 levied on those who wished to go into the enclosed places 

 — grand stand, paddock, and so forth. The old-style 

 racecourse was either " run " by a Corporation or by a few 

 private individuals. The Newmarket meetings have been 

 under the control of the Jockey Club ever since that body 

 came into existence. The club find the money for the 

 stakes, beyond what is subscribed by owners ; they own 

 the land, and as far as their own eight meetings are con- 



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