SOME MEMORABLE MATCHES 325 



Louisa, 6 years, 9 st. 6 lb., won by 'half a neck' 

 a match for a Cup value 700 guineas, 2 miles, 

 against the celebrated professional Frank Butler, 

 riding Mr. Blomfield's ch. m. Allegro, 6 years, 

 13 St. 6 lb., the jockey having probably or pos- 

 sibly ' ridden to orders.' 



A.D. 1806 : On Thursday, July 24, at Lewes, in 

 the presence of the Prince of Wales and a splendid 

 company, Lord Darlington's Pavilion (Chifney) 

 turned the tables on Colonel Mellish's Sancho 

 (Buckle), 8 St. 7 lb. each, 4 miles, 2,000 guineas ; 

 a match remarkable for the bad luck of the gallant 

 Colonel, who had backed his horse to win ^20,000, 

 and was within apparent reach of success when 

 the horse, having hit his l^g some days before at 

 exercise, broke down on that very limb and on the 

 winning-post side of the distance. 



A.D. 1 8 10: On Saturday, June 2, a Mr. Weston, 

 of London Wall, Moorfields, who had betted 150 

 guineas to 100 guineas that he would drive his 

 horse Scorpion in harness 100 miles in twelve 

 successive hours, performed the feat thus : Started 

 at 6 p.m. from Newmarket, and drove through 

 Cambridge to Godmanchester (27-! miles) in three 

 hours, and then baited (40 minutes) ; thence to 



