350 THE FIFTH DUKE OF RICHMOND, K.G. 



dinner a good deal of sport was embarked upon in 

 connection with the ensuing Ascot Meeting, and 

 that in the course of conversation the Marquis of 

 Westminster was boasting of his celebrated horse 

 Touchstone, and offering to back him for a large 

 sum against anything that could be named in the 

 Ascot Cup field. The King immediately caught 

 at the offer, and exclaimed, ' I accept the chal- 

 lenge, and will name one to beat him by a neck.' 

 The wager was at once concluded, and his 

 Majesty, amidst a roar of laughter, named ' The 

 Giraffe ' ! " 



The speech adverted to above, which William 

 IV. delivered at Egham races in August 1836, was 

 in response to an address of thanks presented to 

 him for giving " A Eoyal Purse of One hundred 

 guineas" — or, in other words, a King's Plate — to 

 be run there annually in future. His Majesty 

 observed in reply, " That he most deeply felt the 

 dutiful attention which led to this acknowledg- 

 ment of an act, prompted on his part by desire 

 to show that he was sensible of the munificence 

 of a people which had not only enabled him to 

 reside in the ancient and splendid castle at Wind- 

 sor, — the pride of Englishmen and the envy of 

 foreigners, — but also to follow the dictates of his 

 heart in furthering the happiness of every class 

 of his subjects. He considered horse-racing to be 

 a national sport, becoming to a free and noble 

 people. It was with no slight pride that he found 



