Royal Ascot <*- 



could not stand against the three-year-old Refractor, who 

 won by a length and a half. 



The race for the Gold Cup was of great interest. M. de 

 Bremond had come to see his Gardefeu win, and repeat the 

 success of Elf II. in the previous year, and in some measure 

 make up for the tragic loss of Holocauste at Epsom. He 

 was doomed to disappointment, however, for Mr. C. D. 

 Rose's Cyllene defended the English cause, and was an 

 easy winner by eight lengths, Lord Edward II. second, and 

 the French horse a poor third. 



The last meeting of the nineteenth century at Ascot 

 was hardly up to the usual standard, either as regards 

 racing or brilliancy. For the Hunt Cup there was an 

 average field. The interest chiefly centred round the chances 

 of Royal Flush against Good Luck and Harrow. At the 

 break up of Mr. Lee's stables at the end of 1899 Mr. J. A. 

 Drake bought Royal Flush, a splendid son of Ravo, for 

 ^400, and 1900 saw his sixth season of racing. When the 

 flag fell the old horse quickly showed that he was not 

 prepared to leave the laurels to younger blood ; forcing the 

 pace uphill he crossed the road three or four lengths ahead 

 of Harrow and The Reeve. But Good Luck was close 

 up and took second place. Within the distance the space 

 between the two was greatly lessened, and as the winning- 

 post was reached the two horses were almost abreast. Then 

 they swerved from one another, but Royal Flush held on 

 and won by a head. 



Those who had come over from France to see Monsieur 

 Caillault's Perth II. win the Gold Cup were doomed to 

 disappointment. Although doubts were entertained of the 

 powers of the French 4-year-old with the Scotch name, 



