OTHER SEATS OF HORSE-RACING. 45 



the Prince of Wales, was one of the trophies 

 run for. In 1756 the total sum of ^200 was 

 raced for at Epsom; in 1766 the amount had 

 been raised by fifty pounds. In 1782 two meetings 

 were held, in the course of which a good many 

 events fell to be decided. 



The celebrity of Epsom as a seat of sport is, 

 of course, due to its being the place where is run 

 England's most celebrated race, "the Derby," 

 some notes on which will be found in this volume. 

 More than a hundred years have elapsed since 

 Diomed carried the colours of his owner to victory 

 in the first race for those now popular stakes, 

 under circumstances of social life which have 

 greatly changed. Not one of the spectators who 

 witnessed Diomed's Derby victory would, in all 

 probability, be endowed with the power of fore- 

 casting the growth of the pastime, or the ability 

 to see in his mind's eye the huge proportions it 

 would in time attain, or the money value which 

 would attach to the winning horses, or " the 

 annual expenditure of the tens of thousands of 

 pounds," which would mark the recurrence of the 

 event as it grew in popularity alike with the 

 owners of competing horses and those who came 

 to witness the race. 



V. 



It was the Duke of Cumberland, William, uncle 

 to George III., who instituted the Ascot Meeting, 

 more than a century and a half ago. The 

 first reliable notice of racing at this Royal seat of 

 sport gives 1727 as the year of commencement, 

 when two prizes were contended for, the larger 



