THE ]fACl.\G SEAt^ON, I6ii'6. 



13U 



was not only *' one ot the hardest, boldest, and most judi- 

 cious, but perhaps the most elegant rider to hounds the 

 world ever saw. In his best days — those of Mr Meynell — 

 (when Lord Villiers) he was not to be beaten either by hounds 

 or by man ; on the contrary, there are tales on record 

 touching bis Lordship, that lead one to believe he was one 

 of the few of those times who were too fast for the hounds 

 even over Leicestershire. I allude," says Ninirod, " to his 

 having been now and then heard to exclaim in a run, ' Curse 

 these hounds, what a bore they are ; they can't get from 

 under one's horse's feet.' But all the Villiers's were dashing 

 fellows — ' prodigal of their persons,' writes Clarendon." 



With the exception of occasionally running a horse for 

 a hunter's stake, we believe his Lordship did not make his 

 appearance on the Turf until the year 1807. Since that 

 year he has been a steady and constant patron of it, and 

 without virtue being altogether its own reward, for we find 

 he has come in for his share of the " good things," having 

 had, among many other winners of less note. Cannon-ball, 

 Master Henry, Richard, Sporus, Cobweb, winner of the 

 Oaks in 1824 — Middleton, winner of the Derby in 1825 

 (and since purchased by the Emperor of Russia), Mame- 

 luke, winner of the Derby in 1827, followed by Glenartney, 

 Donegani, Riddlesworth, Glencoe, and Ibrahim. 



The Oaks was remarkable for the badness of the field, 

 and the singular circumstance of the winner having run at 

 Malton on the 14th of April, a distance from Epsom of 225 

 miles. That Destiny would have won, had she been in 

 proper trim, was, at the time, the general opinion ; but the 

 mares of this year were a bad lot; and the figure Destiny 

 cut at Doncaster and elsewhere, proved her anything but a 

 flyer. 



Ascot was scarcely so good as might have been expected, 

 Mr Gaidiior's Peter Lciy colt won the Two-year-old Stakes 



