Royal Ascot 



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on stage-coaches, transmogrified into drags — fifteen on the 

 top, and six thin ones within ; a two-foot horn ; an ice- 

 house with cases of champagne ; sixteen of cigars ; all 

 neckcloths, but white ; all hats, but black ; small talk with 

 oaths, and broad talk with great ones, cooled with ice and 

 made red hot with brandy and smoke ; all four-in-handers ; 

 all trying to tool 'em ; none able to drive, but all able to 

 go with the tongue. An Oxford slap-bang loaded in 

 London ; Windsor blues freighted at Reading : Reading 

 coaches chockful at Dorking ; a Mile End coach-waggon ; 

 German coaches ; Hanoverian cars ; Petersburg sledges 

 and Phsetonees ; St. James's cabs ; Bull-and-Mouth barouches, 

 waggoned by Exeter coachmen. No place, no amusement, 

 no holiday-making is so enchanting to the softer sex. 

 Gentle and simple, grave and gay, all are on tiptoe of joy, 

 and out jumps nature from both ends — eyes and feet. Lords' 

 ladies tastefully costumed with roses, and lilacs untainted, 

 or rather unpainted by Bond Street ; farmers' daughters and 

 farmers' wives sparkling in silks, rosy in cheek, tinted by 

 soft breezes and bottled ale." 



It was said that Cup Day, 1829, surpassed anything 

 previously seen at Ascot, both in point of numbers, elegance 

 of dress, and rank in life. The value of the horses for 

 the Gold Cup was considered by competent judges to be 

 worth ^45,000; and included two Derby winners, one 

 winner of the Oaks, one winner of the St. Leger, and 

 the winner of the Cup in the previous year. The value 

 of the Cup was 100 sovereigns, the stakes 340 sovereigns 

 after the second horse had withdrawn. 



On the morning of the race. Lord Chesterfield bought 

 Zinganee from Sam Chifney for 2,500 guineas, which 



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