OTHER SEATS OF HORSE RACING. S9' 



support them ? So far as the writer knows, it 

 is not the duty of any particular body of persons 

 to provide gratuitous pastimes of any kind for the 

 people, especially horse-racing, which is a sport of 

 a very expensive description. The fact that the 

 " gate meetings " recently opened " pay," settles 

 the question, and renders any defence of the 

 policy which has resulted in their establishment 

 unnecessary. That they afford opportunity for 

 a still greater amount of gambling, and that at 

 some of them the " sport '' is exceedingly poor, is 

 only what, under such circumstances, is to be 

 expected ; still, as all familiar with the turf and 

 its surroundings very well know, it is as easy, 

 nay, easier, to institute a big gamble on a con- 

 temptible race as on a contest for a St. Leger. 



The author has no intention of saying any- 

 thing in the meantime about the modern meetings 

 instituted during recent years, as for instance, those 

 charming reunions held at Kempton and Sandown 

 Parks. Some old race meetings, too, are also 

 passed over without notice, such as that held at 

 Stockbridge ; a time may come, however, when 

 it will be apropos to run over the racing records 

 of such institutions, as also to furnish a brief 

 record ot several meetings that have been long, 

 since relegated to the domains of past history. 



