THE COURSE, AND RESULT 23 



fallen amiss ; so foresight played a great part in the 

 match ! The post of ' course clearer ' was given to a 

 then well-known character on Newmarket Heath — 

 Mr. Tilting — who showed the way, gorgeously ap- 

 parelled in crimson velvet. 



About seven o'clock of the morning of the 29th 

 of August 1750, this remarkable and curious match ^ 

 was run. The course was via the Warren and Rub- 

 bing Houses, through the Ditch, then to the right, 

 three times round a staked piece of ground of four 

 miles, and then back to the starting-point. It is said 

 the horses ran away with their riders for the first four 

 miles, a distance they covered in nine minutes ! This 

 may possibly have had some effect on the result, as 

 their lordships upset the odds and won their wager 

 by six minutes, thirty-three seconds, the actual time 

 for the performance being fifty-three minutes, twenty- 

 seven seconds. Three umpires, each with a stop- 

 watch, testify that everything was done to ensure 

 accuracy. These watches, on comparison at the 

 termination of the match, were found not to vary 

 one second. This proves they could not have been 



^ A painting of the match, executed by Seymoin* or Sartorius, with 

 portraits from life of the persons engaged, changed hands a few 

 years since. John Pond, of Racing Caleiidar fame, published a view 

 of the match, with particulars of the articles appended, price 

 ,10s. 6d., shortly after the event. 



