194 THE ENGLISH TURF 



sets of rules. The course is situated on the Clewer 

 Meadows, rather more than a mile from the town and right 

 on the river bank. The summer fixtures are largely 

 patronised on account of the position of the course, it 

 being a favourite plan to make use of a steam launch from 

 Maidenhead, or to travel up from Staines in the same 

 manner. From a class point of view Windsor Races do 

 not stand very high, and no great amount of money is added 

 to the stakes. The better sort of plating is what is chiefly 

 catered for, but plenty of runners are always forthcoming, 

 and with London so close at hand a strong ring can be 

 relied upon. There is a good straight six-furlong course, 

 and a two-mile course is available, though it twists about 

 in a manner which is rather confusing to strangers. 



Two comparatively modern enclosures in the London 

 district are Gatwick and Lingfield, situated in Surrey, about 

 eight miles apart, Gatwick being on the main line to 

 Brighton — exactly half-way between London and Brighton 

 — and Lingfield due east of Gatwick, and about three miles 

 north of East Grinstead. Gatwick is in many respects a 

 model racecourse. Everything is on so large a scale that 

 there is far less crowding than there is elsewhere, and the 

 range of stands is one of the finest in the kingdom. The 

 course, too, is a magnificent one. To begin with, it is 

 only a furlong short of two miles round, and wide every- 

 where. It is not dead-flat, there being a considerable rise 

 round the top turn, and a descent down the back stretch. 

 The last five furlongs, after the junction of the round 

 course with the straight mile, have a rise of 8 ft. to the win- 

 ning-post, there being distinct gradients on the way which 

 become apparent enough to anyone walking the course. 

 The turns are very gradual, and for long races Gatwick 

 offers a better course than any other Metropolitan enclosure. 

 The programmes are very attractive, all conditions of horses 

 being catered for, and a majority of the prizes are well worth 

 winning. The principal meetings are held in May, at the end 

 of July, and in October, and at the first-named fixture the 

 Worth Stakes for two-year-olds and the Prince's Handicap 

 are the most important prizes. The Prince's Handicap is 



