EPSOM 111 



and perhaps the greatest drawback to Epsom is that the 

 paddock is so far away from the stands. The actual distance 

 must be three hundred yards, perhaps a little more, but at 

 race times the journey seems four times the length because 

 of the crowded state of the route. One has either to go 

 along the course, over which thousands of people surge after 

 every race, or to the back of the stands, where the road is 

 less crowded. In any circumstances it is not a pleasant walk, 

 and if one " does " the paddock properly before each race it 

 is almost impossible to be back in time to see the horses 

 canter to the post. Once reached, the paddock is pleasant 

 enough, but very large, and as the horses are scattered about 

 in all parts of it, a lot of exercise is brought into the day's 

 work. Another nuisance caused by the paddock being 

 where it is is that the jockeys, after they are weighed out, 

 have to worm their way through the crowd in order to find 

 their mounts, with the result that racing at Epsom is almost 

 invariably late, the last race being sometimes decided three- 

 quarters of an hour after the advertised time. 



The stands at Epsom are old-fashioned but good, and 

 probably larger than any others in the kingdom, unless it be 

 those at Doncaster. From the roof of the principal building 

 there is a magnificent view over the Surrey hills, and in 

 more circumscribed fashion this view is obtainable from all 

 the rising ground on the course. The tiers of boxes are a 

 feature of the Epsom stands, and these are very necessary 

 because the club enclosure is small, and ladies are not 

 admitted. The club system had not come into vogue 

 when the present stands and rings were laid out, and no 

 space was available for a lawn : even now, with men only 

 admitted, the club enclosure is far too small, and a similar 

 remark applies to the rings, where the crowding and squeez- 

 ing is simply awful in the Derby week. A portion of the club 

 enclosure is reserved for the members of the Jockey Club, 

 and it is somewhat remarkable that this stand and the 

 club enclosure should both be a considerable distance below 

 the winning-post, so that in a very close finish it is almost 

 impossible for those occupying them to know what has 

 actually won until the numbers go up. Opposite the win- 



