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Reign of Queen Victoria, 1 837-1 901 



After the Queen's Vase, Lord W. Powlett bought Tim 

 Whiffler from Mr. Jackson for 2,500 guineas, and ran 

 him on the Thursday for the Royal Stand Plate, which 

 he won. 



Among red-letter Ascots, the meeting of 1863 ranks 

 high. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had 

 been married in the preceding March, and the jubilations 

 over that event had not yet subsided, when it became 

 known that the Prince would attend the races accompanied 

 by his bride. The result was that crowds of people 

 flocked to Ascot, and manifested their pleasure by greeting 

 the royal couple with vociferous cheering, and renewing 

 their congratulations whenever they showed themselves 

 at the window of the Royal Stand. 



The Turf has always had the patronage of the Royal 

 house, but circumstances prevented the Queen from attend- 

 ing Ascot races, and the presence, therefore, of the Prince 

 and Princess so soon after their marriage was a happy 

 omen for racing men generally, and Ascot in particular. 

 Since then nearly forty years have come and gone, and 

 little did they who were present then think what a debt 

 of gratitude would be due to our King, for all he has done 

 in the cause of horse racing and sport generally. During 

 these forty years he has been a constant patron of Royal 

 Ascot, and has helped not a little in bringing it to its 

 present state of distinction. That he has the best interests 

 of the Royal race meeting at heart is evinced by the 

 improvements in the course and buildings that have been 

 effected at his instigation since his accession to the throne. 

 What misfht have been a serious accident occurred at 

 the start of the ^100 Plate on the Thursday. Curie, who 



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