158 



home in the ConyDgham— in all about half a mile. Many is the course 

 -where you see horses broadside on only for that distance, the rest of 

 the journey being run directly to or from you, so that no one can 

 tell what a horse is doing, or what his rider may be doing either. Oh, 

 truly, truly has it been said if a man wants to see a steeplechase he 

 must come to Punchestown ! * 



The executive makes racing there as cheap as possible to owners of 

 horses ; the entrances for the various plates seldom exceed 2 per cent., 

 -and never 3 per cent., of the value of the prizes. 



Another great feature is that one gate payment gives access to all 

 parts of the grand stand and enclosures, and visitors are not pestered 

 by janitors and extra charges, as at so many meetings in England. 

 The charge is only 15s. for the first day, 10s. for the second day, or 20s. 

 for both days. A complimentary ticket from Mr. David Mahony admits 

 to the Ladies' Stand free, while one from Mr. La Touch© admits to the 

 Reserved Stand, on the top of the Ladies' Stand, on payment of a 

 sovereign for both days. 



The Reserved Stand is the most convenient and best-managed of 

 any I know. No one can ever get on it without a ticket issued 

 direct from Mr. La Touche, and no more people will get tickets 

 than the stand vAW easily accommodate. This allows the privileged 

 holders plenty of time to look over the horses in the jiaddock, or 

 transact their business at their ease, to obtain a near view of the pre- 

 liminary gallop, and then go up to their stand, whence they can see 

 the horses' hoofs over every yard of the different courses, except just 

 behind Moll Dunne's Hill, which, in the Conyngham Cup Course, hides 

 about two hundred yards equally from all. 



Managers of other meetings who charge twice as much and don't give 

 half the value, should take note of these arrangements characteristic 

 only of this premier meeting. 



I have been to many places where women most do congregate, but 

 commend me to the Ladies' Lawn on a fine afternoon for a display 

 of beauty and elegance which I have never seen equalled, much less 

 excelled. Neither Royal Ascot nor Glorious Goodwood can produce 

 lovelier specimens. 



The meeting of 1890 was attended by about the greatest number 

 of ladies I ever saw there, while the receipts of the public stand 

 showed that considerably more people attended in 1890 than ever did 

 previously. The horses, too, which ran that year were of a much better 

 stamp generally than I had seen for a long time. 



If we had the same class of patrons now as we had twenty years ago, 

 and same class of horses, would not Punchestown, with its present 

 arrangements, be as near perfection as it is possible for humanity to 

 make anything ? 



But one thing is to be regretted at Punchestown, and that is the 



* See page 147 for a description of ths old double. 



