EPSOM 109 



old and not on his two-year-old form. In my opinion the 

 style of the Kingsclere celebrity was vastly superior to that 

 of Diamond Jubilee. The last-named had no great amount 

 in hand, either in the Newmarket Stakes, Derby, or Eclipse 

 Stakes, whereas as a three-year-old Flying Fox cut down all 

 opposition, no matter whether from those of his own age 

 or from older horses, in most summary fashion, and won 

 each of his races with a "ton" in hand. The St. Leger 

 was an easy affair for Diamond Jubilee, but a month later 

 he failed to secure a place in the Jockey Club Stakes, won 

 by Disguise II., with Jolly Tar and Forfarshire second and 

 third. It should be added that the Prince's colt was giving 

 12 Ibs. to Disguise II., 9 Ibs. to the four-year-old Jolly Tar, 

 and 6 Ibs. to Forfarshire ; but he ran much below his form, 

 and was clean out of the race a quarter of a mile from home. 

 One of the greatest causes of the popularity of Epsom 

 is the situation of the course, the physical conformation of 

 which allows of the racing being seen by an enormous crowd. 

 The same remark applies to Goodwood, but, as previously 

 stated, Goodwood is situated in a thinly populated neigh- 

 bourhood, whereas the Epsom Course is only a trifle over 

 seventeen miles from town, and therefore within driving 

 distance. The Sandown Course is also on a slope, from 

 which an unrivalled view of the racing can be obtained, 

 but at Sandown the charge for admittance is never less 

 than half a crown, and therefore the "outside" crowd is 

 never very large. The Epsom stands are on a hillside, and 

 the course lies below it, the rings always sloping downwards 

 to the running track. Immediately beyond the rails, 

 opposite the stands, the ground is level for some little 

 distance, and this allows of room for coaches, carriages, 

 and thousands of foot -people. Below this plateau there 

 is a small valley, and beyond the ground rises abruptly, 

 the greater part of the inside of the Derby Course forming 

 what is known as " the hill," which in the race weeks is 

 covered with tents and an enormous crowd. Hereabouts 

 all the late-coming coaches, which cannot obtain a place 

 on the rails, nine-tenths of the "garden seat" buses, and 

 a heterogeneous mass of vehicles are drawn up, and some- 



