Royal Ascot 



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municate with Mr. Burton, ' King's Head,' Egham. A 

 reward of one guinea, if brought to the ' King's Head,' 

 within a week." The chronicler saith that a woman dressed 

 in a scarlet cloak was seen alighting from the carriage. 



Amongst the prominent racing men of this time there 

 was none more ambitious nor more risky than the young 

 Prince of Wales, who afterwards became George IV. He 

 appears to have made a sorry business of his first years on 

 the Turf; first of all by pecuniary embarrassments, from 

 which Parliament kindly released him, and a few years 

 afterwards by "the Escape affair" at Newmarket, when his 

 jockey, Sam Chifney the elder, was charged with riding 

 Escape " booty," and was " warned off"" by the Jockey Club. 

 The Prince, who defended his servant and refused to 

 believe in the accusations, on being requested by Sir 

 Charles Bunbury, on behalf of the Jockey Club, to cease to 

 employ Chifney, or no gentleman would run against him, 

 ceased his connection with Newmarket forthwith. 



The Prince did not enjoy the restrictions imposed by 

 his august position, and liked nothing better than to engage 

 in some escapade with his bosom friends or play some 

 practical joke upon members of the Court. It was a 

 common sight to see him on the way to Newmarket astride 

 the near leader, with the great orator and statesman, Mr. C. 

 J. Fox, on the near wheeler of the Royal coach and four, 

 the postboys luxuriously riding inside. On another oc- 

 casion, much diplomacy and many apologies were necessary 

 to calm the feelings of the Duke of Orleans, whom he 

 upset into the pond in front of the palace at Newmarket, 

 before which the French Duke was standing looking at the 

 gold fish. 



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