292 HORSE-RACING IN ENGLAND 



the celebrated Sir Robert Fagg, Mr. Pelham, 

 Colonel Pitt, and others, 



A.D. 1721-1722: The Duke of Rutland is said 

 to have offered to run his famous mare Bonny 

 Black against any horse, mare, or gelding, four 

 times over the Round Course (King's Plate course) 

 at Newmarket, but the offer was not accepted. 

 A match of four continuous courses over that 

 distance (three miles, six furlongs, and ninety- 

 three yards in the old days) would, obviously, be 

 more or less severe than the very common ' four 

 mile heat' races (with a 'dead heat' thrown in), 

 according to circumstances, but, at the best, 

 could not be much less severe, and, at the worst, 

 would be very much more. 



A.D. 1722: Matches for ihrce thousand guineas, 

 were to be run (April 5) by Mr. Panton's Cub 

 against Lord Drogheda's Snip mare, and (April 6) 

 by Lord Milsintown's (Milsington's) Bonny Betty 

 against Lord Drogheda's Grey Director ; but, 

 though the former was run and won by Mr. Panton, 

 the forfeit (1,500 guineas) was paid by Lord Mil- 

 sintown in the latter. 



A.D. 1722: On October 30, at Newmarket, 

 Mr. Cotton's Fox, carrying 9 st. 12 lb., won a 



