198 THE ENGLISH TURF 



when the match came on, and it was seen that Nunthorpe 

 could not raise a gallop, the whole affair became ludicrous, 

 and though the programme was only partly run through half 

 the visitors went to the railway platform and got into the 

 first train going eastward. Steeplechase meetings are now 

 being held on this unlucky course, and they are meeting 

 with sufficient success for the present. A few years since 

 a new racecourse was opened at Westenhanger, near Folke- 

 stone, but it was a failure from the very first, although the 

 South Eastern Railway Company did everything they could 

 to favour the place, even carrying racehorses and their 

 attendants to and from the course without charge. However, 

 this meeting has now been placed in the able hands that 

 have given us Gatwick and the new Alexandra Park, so 

 there is still hope for it, though the course is not placed in 

 a sporting district. 



As in the Metropolitan district, so also in the Midlands 

 have racing enclosures become very popular. They have 

 quite taken the places of the old country meetings, a host of 

 which were held in the middle of the nineteenth century. 

 These have all disappeared, and in their places we find 

 enclosures at Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham, 

 and Dunstall Park. Racing used to take place at the three 

 first-mentioned towns, but the old courses at Leicester and 

 Nottingham ceased to exist, new racing companies being 

 promoted, with courses further away from the towns. The 

 present course at Derby is about a mile and a half from the 

 centre of the town, and close by the Nottingham Road 

 Station of the Midland Railway. On each day of the 

 meetings specials are run from St. Pancras and back again 

 to London after racing is over, and there is an equally good 

 service from Liverpool and Manchester. Indeed, all the 

 meetings on the Midland system are admirably served by 

 the railway company, and scores of visitors to Derby, 

 Leicester, and Nottingham travel from and to London every 

 day. The Derby meetings have been for many years 

 exceedingly prosperous and remarkably popular with 

 owners and trainers. The stands and paddock are good, 

 and though there are many courses which I prefer, it cannot 



