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the value of a hundred guineas, upon which 
the name and pedigree of the winner was 
engraved. He also devoted considerable 
attention to improving the English race- 
horse ; he sent his Master of Horse abroad 
to purchase stallions and brood mares, 
principally Arabs, Barbs and Turkish horses. 
To these ‘King’s mares,” as they were 
entitled, our modern racehorse traces his 
descent on the dam’s side. 
Charles II.’s love of racing was not 
satished by the meetings at Newmarket, 
which was not readily accessible from 
Windsor, and he instituted races on Datchet 
Mead, within sight of the castle, across the 
Thames. Here, as at Newmarket, he 
encouraged the sport by the presentation of 
cups and bowls. Burford Races owed the 
prestige they long enjoyed to the encourage- 
ment of Charles II. in 1681. Political 
considerations required that public attention 
should be diverted for the time, if possible, 
and to secure this end Charles had all his 
best horses brought from Newmarket for the 
occasion. 
The only piece of legislation that demands 
notice is the repeal of the laws against 
export, which had been on the Statute Book 
since Henry VII.’s reign. The prohibition 
