186 THE ENGLISH TURF 



most popular handicap was so named and the distance run 

 was one mile, was difficult to make out, but by increasing 

 the distance by a quarter of a mile the curious result has 

 been attained of making the commencement of the race 

 easily visible through glasses, although the addition to the 

 course has taken the starting-post two furlongs further away 

 from the stands. The reason for this is that the new piece 

 is strongly sloped, a hint having possibly been taken from 

 the straight mile at Lingfield, the running on every yard of 

 which is plainly visible. When the horses have travelled a 

 quarter of a mile they are much more difficult to make out 

 than when on the slope, but six furlongs from the finish the 

 positions can be determined with distinctness. The race is 

 now known as the Great Jubilee Handicap. There is one 

 right-handed bend, some three furlongs from the finish, which 

 places the run-in at right angles to the rest of the course, 

 and this bend has been fateful to many a runner, horses 

 being liable to be shut in there or made to lose distance by 

 having to go wide. 



There is also a circular course, about a mile and a half in 

 extent, and a straight six furlongs up the centre of the Park, 

 for which a separate winning-post is used. All the courses 

 are practically flat, the deviations from the level being, with 

 the exception of the first two furlongs of the Jubilee Course, 

 so slight as to be not worth mentioning. As at Sandown, 

 the winning-post of the straight course is at such an angle 

 to the stands that in a close finish it is impossible to know 

 exactly what has won, unless one has taken up a position 

 near the finish. 



Kempton has many meetings during the year, and its 

 executive encourages Saturday racing, which is patronised 

 by thousands of the humbler class of race-goer in conse- 

 quence of the attraction of an admission fee of one shilling. 

 It also takes a fair share of the bank holiday meetings. 

 It caters for all sections of the public, as it does for all 

 varieties of racehorse, from those of the highest class to the 

 selling plater. At present, and for many years past, its 

 principal meetings, each of two days, have been held in May 

 and October, always on Friday and Saturday, the spring 



