NEWMARKET IN EARLY DAYS. 29 



carrying the same weight. Racing took place 

 on only two days, but in that space of time eleven 

 races were decided. The First Spring Meeting 

 followed on April i6th, lasting to the 21st, during 

 which period some important contests took place 

 for large stakes. The Second Spring Meeting of 

 that year was held from May 7th, to May 12th, 

 when no less than forty-three races were run and 

 decided, most of them being matches. There was 

 a meeting in July, beginning on the loth, and 

 continued on the nth and 12th. Then came the 

 First October Meeting, which lasted six days, and 

 during which thirty-two races were run. The 

 Second October Meeting commenced on the 15th, 

 with " Fifty pounds, the winner to be sold for 

 150 gs. if demanded," twenty-two other races 

 followed, and sport terminated on the 20th. At 

 the Houghton Meeting, which began on October 

 29th, nineteen different events were decided, the 

 greater number of them being matches ; only four 

 races, indeed, were run which were not matches. 



At the present time (1891), seven meetings 

 are still held at *' head-quarters," they are as 

 follows : Newmarket Craven, four days ; First 

 Spring Meeting, four days ; Second Spring Meet- 

 ing, three days ; July Meeting, four days ; New- 

 market First October, four days ; Newmarket 

 Second October, five days ; Houghton Meeting, 

 from Monday till Friday. 



During the last thirty-five years, Newmarket 

 has greatly flourished, and is becoming every day 

 of greater importance. At the time indicated above 

 it was a poor place, many gentlemen declining 

 to send their horses to be trained there, some of 

 them would not believe its being possible to train 



