THE CLASSIC RACES. 119 



was reduced to 8 St., at which it remained till 

 1808, when it was restored to the former figure of 

 8 St. 4 lb. ; in 1842 the weight to be carried by 

 fillies competing in the race was increased to 

 8 St. 7 lb. 



The progress of the Oaks towards its present 

 condition of prosperity was slow, but, it may be 

 added, sure. It began, as has been said, with 

 seventeen subscribers, and once only fell below 

 that number, namely, in 1781, when there was 

 one less; in 1795-6 42 fillies were entered, but 

 the numbers again fell off, and it was not till 1825 

 the entries reached so many as 50, whilst four- 

 teen years elapsed before the 100 was topped. 

 It was in 1868, when Formosa won the Garter for 

 Mr. Graham, that the highest number of entries 

 was recorded, namely, 215 ; in two other years the 

 figures exceeded 200, namely, in 1867, when the 

 race fell to Baron Rothschild by the aid of Hippia 

 (206 entries), and eleven years afterwards when 

 Lord Falmouth's Janette proved victorious, upon 

 which occasion 212 fillies were named. Since 

 that time the entries have been on the decline, as 

 the following figures will show, namely : 189, 187, 

 182, 182, i45,_ 148, 144, 138, 142, 133, 112, from 

 1879 to 1889 inclusive, respectively. 



The following averages afford a good idea of 

 the value of the Oaks Stakes : During the first 

 twenty years, the average number of subscribers 

 was twenty-six, the average number of horses 

 competing being 9. In the second period of 

 twenty years these averages increased to thirty- 

 three subscribers, but the field of runners under- 

 went no alteration. In the third twenty years 

 the subscribers had more than doubled, whilst 



