Royal Ascot ^ 



captured the Gold Cup from Chippendale, passing the 

 post an easy winner, after allowing his rival to make the 

 runninof. In the Hardwicke Stakes there was a near race 

 between Rayon d'Or and Exeter, the latter winning with 

 very little to spare. 



The behaviour of Peter in 1881 was remarkable, and 

 occasioned much surprise to his backers. There were 

 three competitors for the Queen's Vase — Peter, Monarch, 

 and Ambassadress. Peter was firm favourite, and so sure 

 was a section of the public that he would win that many 

 laid 300 to I on him. But, alas ! for the uncertainty of 

 certainties. In the race, after turning the Swinley bend, 

 when opposite the hotel, Peter was seen to suddenly 

 stop, strike his fore feet firmly into the ground and begin 

 to kick. A groan of astonishment arose from the backers 

 of the favourite. Wood tried persuasion and coercion, 

 but Peter was, like his namesake — firm as a rock. By 

 this time the others were in the Swinley Bottom, and 

 poor Wood had to bring the refractory Peter back to 

 the paddock, where he was met by his owner, Sir John 

 Astley, who, true sportsman as he was, sympathised 

 with his jockey, merely remarking to his horse, "So he 

 wouldn't go past his stable, eh ! " .^ 



"The Mate," as Sir John Astley was called, was not 

 cast down by the sorry spectacle of the previous day, and 

 when the numbers for the Hunt Cup were hoisted Peter's 

 name was there, with Archer as his guide. The betting 

 was 100 to 30 against Peter, but when the starters were 

 going to the post it seemed that longer odds would have 

 been warranted, for he commenced to play his old antics 

 -and tried every conceivable trick to throw his rider. 



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