THE DUKE AT NEWMARKET 167 



berry's Turf star was on the decline both as to 

 engagements, events won, and stakes. 



Early in 1780, the Duke of Queensberry^ writes 

 to Selwyn from Tunbridge, whither he had gone 

 for the waters; although he seems dubious of their 

 efficacy, but determines to give them a fair trial. By 

 this his grace was unwell, not seriously, as he 

 speaks of a visit to Brighthelmstone a few days 

 later, and a return to London and its festivities 

 shortly after. 



In July the Duke went to Newmarket, and, though 

 one of his horses won a fifty-guinea match on the 11th, 

 he writes 2 on the 15th to Selwyn, speaking of his 

 good luck the previous day. In spite of his losing four 

 hundred pounds by a horse of the Duke of Grafton's 

 breaking its leg, he had had success; indeed, but 

 for that accident he would ' have made a very great 

 day of it.' The match referred to was the only one 

 his grace's stable won that meeting. These remarks 

 clearly prove that if his horses were not making 

 money by winning races or matches, their owner 

 was in the ring. Hence it is difficult to judge 

 the exact results of his racing, as, though I have 

 just referred to the poorness of his racing re- 

 cords for this and the next year, his grace's own 



^ Appendix N 2. ■' Appendix 2. 



