Royal Ascot ^ 



another in October for 6-year-old horses, at 12 St., in heats, 

 over the same course ; one at York (which commenced 

 in 171 1 ), for 6-year-oId horses, 12 st. each, four-mile heats; 

 one at Black Hambleton, Yorkshire (of which no regular 

 account was kept until 171 5), for 5-year-old mares, 10 St., 

 lour miles ; one at each of the following places: — Nottingham, 

 Lincoln, Guildford, Winchester, Salisbury, and Lewes, for 

 6-year-old horses, 1 2 st. each, four-mile heats ; and one at 

 Ipswich for 5-ycar-old horses, 10 st. each. A Royal Plate 

 was also run for at Edinburgh, in 1728 or 1729; and one 

 at the Curragh of Kildare in 1741. 



York was again to the fore in 1751, when the great 

 subscription races were first held, and the City added ^50 

 to each day's racing. The races were for 5-year-old, 10 St., 

 tour miles ; and 9 St., two-mile heats. 



As reo-ards Newmarket, there were but two meetino^s 

 in the year up to 1753, when the Jockey Club purchased 

 the racecourse, and added a second spring meeting with 

 two Jockey Club plates and several matches, A second 

 October meeting was added in 1762; the July meeting 

 began with the year 1765, the Houghton meeting in 1770, 

 and the Craven in 1771. 



The reign of George III. saw the institution of the 

 " Classic " races. The Doncaster St. Leger was established 

 by Colonel St. Leger, who lived near Doncaster. In 

 1776 he proposed a sweepstakes of 25 guineas each for 

 3-year-olcl colts and fillies over a two-mile course, which 

 was won from six competitors by the Marquis of Rocking- 

 ham's filly, Allabuculia. 



In 177S a dinner was being held at the Red Lion Inn, 

 Doncaster, on the entry day of the races, and the Marquis 



