1 64 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



challenge was the result of this extempore gallop, 

 which ended in a match for i,ooo gs. This 

 event was brought to a consummation on the 

 25th of August, 1804, and for some weeks before 

 that date nothing else was talked about ; over 

 sporting Yorkshire it was a common topic 

 of conversation, all sorts of notions being enter- 

 tained as to how the lady would ride and how 

 she would be dressed, and as the time drew 

 near it became quite evident that Mrs. Thornton 

 possessed the entire sympathies of the horse- 

 loving people of the greatest county of England. 



On the appointed day the horses were duly 

 prepared for the struggle. Mrs. Thornton's 

 horse was Vingarillo and Mr. Flint's was Thorn- 

 ville ; in accordance with the conditions of 

 the match the lady was to ride her weight 

 against the weight of Mr. Flint. According to 

 the newspapers of the day such an assemblage 

 of the people on a racecourse had never been 

 seen as on the occasion of riding this match ; it 

 was estimated that at least a hundred thousand 

 persons were present on the Knavesmire, expecta- 

 tion being raised to the highest pitch from the 

 exceeding novelty of the event. 



The story of the race was told in The York 

 Herald : " About four o'clock Mrs. Thornton 

 appeared on the ground, full of spirits, her horse 

 led by Colonel Thornton, and followed by Mr. 

 Baker and Mr. H. Boynton ; afterwards appeared 

 Mr. Flint. They started a little past four o'clock. 

 The lady took the lead for upwards of three 

 miles in most capital style. Her horse, however, 

 had much the shorter stroke of the two. When 

 within a mile of being home Mr. Flint pushed 



