Institution and Early Growth 



double dealings with which he had to contend might well 

 have made him falter. 



His military motto, however, " Persevere and Conquer," 

 stood him in good stead, and on his death, in October 1765, 

 he was able to bequeath to his nephew the largest stud in 

 the kingdom, and some of the best blood, besides the grati- 

 fying knowledge 

 that the royal sport 

 was once more in 

 the ascendant. 



The mantle of 

 the "Culloden" 

 Duke fell upon his 

 nephew, Henry 

 Frederick, who on 

 succeeding to his 

 uncle's title and ?^ 

 position of Ranger, 

 became the patron 

 of horse racing 

 generally, and ot 

 Ascot in particular. 



In 1760 George 

 HI. came to the throne, and during his long reign Ascot 

 was destined to rise in importance from its humble begin- 

 ning to becoming the most celebrated race meeting next 

 to Epsom. 



In the calendar of the time the programme of the 

 Ascot Heath races did not offer a very grand selection of 

 sport, although a marked improvement was beginning to 

 be made; thus in 1754 and 1756 there appears to have 



29 



GEORGE III. 



