112 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



** Descriptions " of the St. Leger, as we know 

 them, were not written in its earher years. In 1 784, 

 when Omphale won, it is stated by an authority 

 of the time that the filly had been amiss for 

 twelve months preceding, and had only been 

 nine weeks in training, yet won easily. After 

 1786 the betting about the first three horses 

 seems to have been recorded, and a " place " is 

 about that time apportioned to every horse that 

 took part in the struggle, which was not a diffi- 

 cult matter, seeing that the fields, till 1803, 

 seldom exceeded eight horses. In 1789 a horse 

 named Zanga came in first (it belonged to the 

 Duke of Hamilton), but the rider having been 

 proved guilty of "jostling," the race was awarded 

 to Pewet, the favourite. Champion, which also 

 won the Derby, was victor in the St. Leger 

 of 1800, ridden by Buckle. The betting was 

 2 to I against the son of PotSos. The St. Leger 

 of 1 80 1 is characterised as "a good race, and 

 much betting," and next year, when Orville won, 

 the legend of the event is extended a little, 

 and is as follows : " Orville took the lead (in 

 a field of seven), was never headed, and won 

 easy." The odds were 8 to i against the 

 winner, the favourite being Young Eclipse, which 

 was priced at 5 to 4 07t. Next year the same 

 story is told of Remembrancer. In 1804 quite 

 a chapter of accidents occurred in the race ; several 

 of the horses fell, their jockeys being much 

 hurt. 



The following lines convey a description of 

 the race for the St. Leger of 1806, for which 

 fourteen horses faced the starter, the winner 

 being Fyldener by Sir Peter, out of Fanny by 



