NOTES ON MEMORABLE MATCHES. 163 



and Diamond, was arranged between Sir H. 

 Vane's Cockfighter and Mr. Johnson's Sir 

 Solomon for 500 guineas, which took place at 

 Doncaster on the 19th September, 1801. The 

 horses ran the Doncaster course twice, and 

 the first two miles were said to have been covered 

 in three minutes, whilst the four miles were done 

 in seven minutes and ten seconds : the distance 

 run was three miles, six furlongs, and thirty-two 

 yards. The betting at starting was 6 to 4 

 and II to 8 on Cockfighter, and a sum 

 of ^50,000 is said to have changed hands on 

 the occasion. Sir Solomon took the lead at the 

 start and, never being headed, won by about a 

 length and a half The winner was got by Sir 

 Peter Teazle ; Cockfighter was got by Overton, 

 and was thus descended from the Godolphin 

 barb. 



The most noteworthy match — " the most 

 interesting race ever run upon Knavesmire " — 

 recorded in the annals of the turf is that in which 

 Mrs. Colonel Thornton and Mr. Flint took part. 

 The excitement which attended this affair may be 

 guessed from the fact that upwards of ;^200,ooo 

 was depending in wagers on the event — the 

 betting at the start being at the rate of 5 to 4 

 and 6 to 4 on the lady, who, however, lost the 

 day. The affair was fully recorded in the sporting 

 periodicals of the period, from which the following 

 particulars have been gleaned. The match origi- 

 nated quite in a friendly spirit ; the parties being 

 out for a ride discussed and, of course, praised 

 the merits of their respective horses, and on the 

 spur of the moment indulged in a trial gallop, 

 the lady being at once victorious. A formal 



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