A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



of three four mile heats,' was won by Sir C. 

 Bunbury's Eliza. At this period there was no 

 permanent race-stand. The gentry attended and 

 watched the races from horseback or their carriages. 

 Among those who took an interest in early 

 Brighton racing were the Duke of Cumberland, 

 the Duke of Queensberry, Lord Egremont, Lord 

 George Cavendish, Sir Charles Bunbury, and 

 Sir H. Fetherston. The Duke and Duchess of 

 Cumberland were present at this meeting. 



In the next year, 1 784, ' Brighthelmston ' races 

 were held on 2 and 3 August. On the first 

 day a plate of 50 and two sweepstakes of 50 

 guineas and 30 guineas respectively were run for. 

 On the second day a sweepstakes of 30 guineas, 

 a plate of jso, won by Lord Egremont's 

 Trentham, and a match for 50 between the 

 horses of Sir Harry Fetherston and Mr. Vegierski, 

 formed the programme. The racing was not 

 good, but the large company included the 

 Prince of Wales, who had made his first appear- 

 ance at Brighton in the previous September, and 

 who was accompanied by the Due de Chartres, 

 Due d'Orleans, and many of the nobility and 

 gentry. The Duke of Queensberry (' old Q '), 

 Sir F. Evelyn, Sir C. Bunbury, and other well- 

 known owners ran horses. From this time 

 dates the heyday of early Brighton racing. In 

 1785 a series of matches took place, as well as 

 other events. There were four days' racing, and 

 among prominent owners running horses were 

 the Due de Chartres, Due de Lauzun, the Duke 

 of Queensberry, Lords Grosvenor, Egremont 

 and Clermont, Sir C. Bunbury, Sir F. Poole, 

 Lord G. Cavendish, Sir F. Evelyn, and Sir H. 

 Fetherston. On the first day's racing were two 

 matches. On the second day a 50 plate, the 

 Constans Stakes of 50 guineas, a sweepstakes of 

 50 guineas, another of 25 guineas, and two 

 matches. On the third day a 50 plate, a sweep- 

 stake of 25 guineas, and four matches ranging in 

 value from 120 to 25 guineas a side. On the 

 fourth day two matches of 50 guineas each were 

 decided. In this year took place the first of a 

 long series of Brighton race balls, one being 

 held on each of the four nights of racing. 



In 1786 the Prince of Wales was again 

 present, and thenceforth was a familiar figure on 

 this race-course. The Due d'Orleans accom- 

 panied him, as did Charles James Fox, who, it 

 is stated, ' was a heavy loser by several races.' 

 In 1788 a new stand was used for the first time. 

 In 1790 the Prince of Wales was on the hill in 

 an open landau, drawn by six black horses, Sir 

 John Lade driving. The prince, we read, was 

 splendidly attired in the uniform of the loth 

 Light Dragoons. On this occasion His Royal 

 Highness gave a plate of 50 guineas, which was 

 won by Mr. Hyde's Goliah, and himself won 

 the. Constans Stakes with his famous horse 

 Smoker. In 1790 and 1791 the Due d'Orleans 

 gave a stake of 50 guineas to be run for. In 



456 



1795 Lord Egremont, who was one of the most 

 successful owners of racehorses of his time and 

 maintained a huge stud, won no less than seven 

 races and matches at Brighton meeting ; the 

 victories of so popular a Sussex notable could 

 scarcely fail to be well received. In 1798 

 Brighton races narrowly escaped temporary 

 extinction by a somewhat ludicrous omission. 

 The farmer who was in possession of the race- 

 course was entitled to receive each quarter, by 

 way of rent, a pipe of wine. Not having 

 received his dues, he attended the Race Com- 

 mittee, then sitting at the Castle Inn, and 

 informed them that unless they paid him 100 

 guineas, he should plough up the course. No 

 satisfactory reply having been received by the 

 next morning, he actually started his men with 

 their ploughs. The committee, however, were 

 equal to the occasion. Scarcely had the plough- 

 men begun their labours, when a press-gang 

 appeared ; whereupon the yokels incontinently 

 fled. Matters were subsequently arranged, and 

 the race-meeting took place. In 1803 the 

 original race-stand, a very humble structure, was 

 destroyed by fire. Another modest building 

 erected in its place stood till 1851, when the 

 modern grand stand was built at a cost of 

 6,000. To this two wings have been sub- 

 sequently added, at a total cost, with other 

 improvements, of 15,000. These improve- 

 ments were made by the race-stand trustees, to 

 whose energy and foresight the present satisfactory 

 position of Brighton Races is almost entirely 

 due. 



In 1 8 10 Brighton supported three days' racing, 

 which took place in July. On the first day the 

 principal event was the Pavilion Stakes of 100 

 guineas each. A 100 plate was postponed, 

 owing to the very high wind and heavy rain. 

 On the second day, in addition to this plate, 

 there were the Petworth Stakes, and a sweep- 

 stakes of 10 guineas each with 25 guineas added. 

 On the third day were run a match for 100 

 guineas, a 100 plate, and a Ladies' Plate of 

 60 guineas. In 1820 the races were held on 3, 4 

 and 5 August. On the first day the Gold Cup, 

 value 100 guineas, presented by King George IV, 

 a two-mile race in one heat, was won by 

 Mr. Bouverie's Zadig. The Brighton Club 

 Plate (2^ miles) was won by Lord Egremont's 

 Caroline, and the Town Plate of 70 guineas 

 by Mr. King's Philip. On the second day a 

 sweepstake of 50 guineas (half a mile) was taken 

 by Lord Egremont's Octavius ; the Brighton 

 Stakes, a sweepstakes of 10 guineas with 60 

 guineas added, by the same owner's Robin Hood, 

 and the Ladies' Plate by his same lordship's Little 

 John. On the third day Lord Egremont won 

 a sweepstakes of 25 guineas with his good mare 

 Caroline. The Waterloo Stakes (60 guineas 

 with a 5-guinea sweepstakes) was won by Mr. 

 King's Wouvermans, while a sweepstakes of 



