196 THE ENGLISH TURF 



Alexandra Park must now be included amongst the 

 Metropolitan enclosures, for though a much older meeting 

 than Sandown, Kempton, etc., it has only lately become a 

 club meeting. Alexandra Park is the only place where 

 racinsf is held within the boundaries of London. It is not 

 more than seven miles from the West End, and the approach 

 to it is through bricks and mortar all the way, though just 

 a semblance of the country is to be found when Muswell 

 Hill is reached. The meetings, on account of their position, 

 require the licence of the London County Council as well 

 as the Jockey Club permit. They are exceedingly popular, 

 and, what is more to the point, their popularity has greatly 

 increased since the formation of the Middlesex and County 

 Racing Club, and the wholesale overhaulings of the pro- 

 gramme which have taken place within the last two or three 

 years. Time was when these fixtures were held in some 

 contempt by many race-goers, and when a majority of the 

 runners were selling-platers ; but everything has been changed, 

 and now the stakes are valuable, many of the runners of 

 good class, and the attendances very smart. Selling Stakes 

 of from ;^i,ooo to ;;^2,ooo in value have been offered, and 

 the course has been improved, the stands enlarged and 

 practically rebuilt, and the rough element controlled with 

 a strong hand. Fixtures, however, are not very easily 

 secured by the executive, though, owing to the perfect 

 system of hydrants, the course is fit to race on at any 

 period of the year. 



The same energy that has done so much for the comfort 

 of visitors to the meeting would be directed to the en- 

 larging of the course were any ground available for the 

 purpose, but it is not. The course for races of five and 

 six furlongs is not as straight as could be wished, though 

 the second half of it is so. Attached to this course is a 

 circular one, and distance races are contrived by commencing 

 the wrong way of the course — as at Goodwood and Epsom, 

 in certain races — circumventing the circular portion once or 

 twice, according to necessity, and returning to the point 

 started from. The circular course being on the small side, 

 full speed can scarcely be maintained whilst circumventing 



