34 HISTORY OF THE 



Doncaster, on the 1 9th of September in this year, 

 excited almost as much interest as that between 

 Hambletonian and Diamond in 1799, which we 

 have described in a previous chapter. Vast sums 

 changed hands, (it has been said as much as 

 £50,000,) on this event. The betting, at starting, 

 was six to four, and eleven to eight on Cockfighter. 

 Sir Solomon took the lead, was never headed, and 

 won by about a length and a half. The first two 

 miles are said to have been run in three minutes, 

 and the four miles in seven minutes and ten 

 seconds; they ran twice round the Doncaster course, 

 being a distance of three miles six furlongs, and 

 thirty-two yards. 



Cockfighter was got by Overton, dam by Wea- 

 sel, grandam by Alfred, and so back to the 

 Godolphin barb. Overton was got by King 

 Fergus, his dam by Herod, grandam by Snap, 

 (son of Childers), out of the own sister to Re- 

 gulus, by the Godolphin Arabian. 



Sir Solomon was got by Sir Peter Teazle, his 

 dam by Florizel. Although unsuccessful at first, 

 he afterwards trained on to be a capital racer. 



On the second of April, Captain Newland of the 

 Sussex militia won a considerable sum, by per- 

 forming 140 miles in seven hours and thirty-four 

 minutes, although allowed twelve hours by the 

 terms of the wager. Longdown Hill near Chi- 

 chester was the scene of action, and what is more 



