-^ Reig"!! of Queen Victoria, 1 837-1 901 



jockeys proved troublesome ; in fact, three were ultimately 

 suspended for various periods. 



The running of a filly out of Agnes by King Tom, 

 belonging to Baron Rothschild, occasioned considerable 

 comment. The filly was subsequently named Queen of 

 the Vale. 



In spite of the rain, the fun on the course was hearty 

 and extravagant, everybody was in the best of spirits, 

 and the world went very well then ; the Queen had a large 

 party with her, including Prince Albert and the Prince of 

 Wales, and the Royal visitors manifested great interest in 

 the proceedings. The enthusiasm of the people was as 

 great as ever, and the usual race-course man letting seats 

 and hollar'ing, " That's 'er Gracious Majesty, and her 

 children a follering her. Step up ! Sixpence ! The gentle- 

 man that you see in the spectacles, last carriage of all, 

 is Ernest Jones. Step up ! Only sixpence ! Watch her 

 Gracious Majesty all the way to Windsor ! " found ready 

 customers. It was a sight not to be seen again, for within 

 nine months the Court was in mourning for the Queen's 

 mother, the Duchess of Kent, and in the latter end of 

 1 86 1 the Oueen and nation were mourninp; the death 

 of the Prince Consort. 



The Royal Stand was closed during the 1861 meeting, 

 and the empty galleries and closed shutters spoke of the 

 loss that had been sustained. Although by no means 

 withdrawing her patronage from Ascot, the Queen did not, 

 after the death of her Consort, attend another race meeting. 



We must go back a year or so to note various little 

 incidents that had occurred in connection with the course. 

 It will be remembered that when the Grand Stand was 



129 K 



