MODERN ENCLOSED COURSES 183 



this great race, and both showed considerable superiority 

 by giving a lot of weight to the best of their own age 

 who could be found to run against them. 



So much for Sandown's greatest race. The " Eclipse " 

 meeting is the most important of the many interesting 

 Sandown fixtures, and on the second day the most valuable 

 two-year-old prize of the season is decided. This is called 

 the National Breeders' Produce Stakes, and as the conditions 

 admit of penalties and allowances, it happens that the race 

 has often been won by a moderate horse. Indeed, there 

 are few good names on its list of winners, but Cyllene 

 was successful under a penalty, and at present he stands 

 out as the best class of those to whom the race has fallen. 

 Five meetings under Jockey Club Rules are held at Sandown 

 every year. The first follows the Epsom Spring Meeting, 

 two days being devoted to flat racing and a third to sport 

 under National Hunt Rules. A more important fixture is 

 held in June — usually in the week following Ascot — the 

 " Eclipse " meeting falling in July. Not at all well attended 

 is the September fixture, which generally takes place in the 

 week before the St. Leger, but the October Meeting — 

 which, like the spring fixture, has its third day devoted to 

 jumping contests — draws all the racing army, and is, with 

 one exception, the most important autumn meeting held 

 in a London enclosure. Besides these five flat-racing 

 fixtures there are generally three cross-country meetings 

 of two days each, one in December and two in February, 

 and one in March of three days, this being the Grand 

 Military Meeting, which has for many years past been a 

 fixture at Sandown, and which, under existing circum- 

 stances, is hardly likely to be removed elsewhere. It is 

 very justly regarded as the Ascot of racing under National 

 Hunt Rules. 



In my opening remarks about Sandown I said that the 

 place had a very moderate course, and I am afraid that, 

 in many respects, this is only too true. As some set-off 

 the stands are beautifully placed for seeing all the racing, 

 except the finishes on the five -furlong course, and at no 

 other enclosure is the steeplechasing so easily followed. 



