51 



CHAPTER VI 



Recollections of the Cup Day at Ascot — My ride from home — The 

 Queen, Prince Consort, and the Emperor of Russia : interesting 

 conversation — The Countess of Albemarle's carriage — The Earl, 

 Master of the Horse, wins with his son of Defence, beating Attila — 

 Delight of the crowd — The Emperor's promise to present the Ascot 

 Cup in future — Establishment of the Cssarewitch Stakes — The 

 Defence colt called the ' Emperor ' — Wins the vase the following 

 year — Graceful act of the Earl : presents the vase to her Majesty 

 the Queen, and the horse to the Czar — My next 'Ascot' — Dead- 

 heat between Buckstone and Tim Whiffler. 



There is to me something; fascinating in the 

 recollection of a sporting event, which, from its 

 especial singularity, has impressed itself on my 

 mind ; and although I have had some curious 

 experiences of early Derbys, I believe that those 

 I am about to relate of early Ascot Cup days are 

 none the less pregnant with interest. The year 

 1S43, which was the next to that when Attila won 

 the Derby, was made memorable by the visit of 

 the Emperor of Russia, and, I think, the King of 

 Saxony, with other illustrious personages, to the 

 Queen and Prince Albert, and who attended at Ascot 

 Heath to see the race for the Cup. An immense 

 concourse of people attended. I rode my horse all 

 the way from Aylesbury and back again the same 

 night — a distance of seventy-five miles. I left 

 home about 7 a.m., after a hearty breakfast, and 



