A HISTORY OF SURREY 



really good one or not has been a long dis- 

 puted question amongst owners and trainers 

 of racehorses, but a very strong argument in 

 its favour as a test of merit is forthcoming in 

 the fact that the best horse nearly always wins 

 the Derby, and that the running is almost 

 always confirmed on courses of a totally 

 diflFerent nature — as for example that of the 

 Doncaster Town Moor. 



Large fields are generally to be found in 

 nearly every race but the Cup at Epsom, and 

 the place is remarkably popular with owners 

 of racehorses, more indeed than it is with 

 trainers, who prefer the comfort and the 

 stabling provided at the enclosures. At 

 Epsom stabling has to be taken in the town, 

 for visiting horses, except those for which 

 accommodation is found at the various Epsom 

 training stables, and this latter is of course 

 only possible in the case of a stable which is 

 not full. The horses are walked from the 

 town to the large paddock which lies a quar- 

 ter of a mile west of the stands, above the 

 grounds of Durdans, It is quite the largest 

 race-course paddock in England, but its dis- 

 tance from the weighing room is a cause of 

 considerable delay at times, and thus it hap- 

 pens that very often indeed the racing is not 

 finished until half an hour later than the ad- 

 vertised time, or even more. 



The programme of the Spring meeting is 

 chiefly prolific of handicaps, and two-year-old 

 events of secondary importance. It has al- 

 ways been held on a Tuesday or Wednesday 

 and is almost always sandwiched between the 

 Craven, and first Spring meetings at New- 

 market. On the Tuesday the Great Metro- 

 politan stakes of two miles and a quarter is 

 the most important race, and by many this is 

 thought to be quite the prettiest race of the 

 year to watch. As a rule a dozen or more 

 horses are in the field, and the start takes 

 place at the stands, the horses going down the 

 reverse way of the course, until they are 

 within a few yards of Tattenham Corner. 

 They then wheel round to the right and 

 wind up the side of the hill, keeping within 

 the horse-shoe of the Derby course, which 

 they join just below the Furzes, the last mile 

 being on the same track as the Derby. The 

 race is of course contested by stayers, but very 

 often the class is only moderate, the best 

 names in the list of winners for a period of 

 nearly sixty years being Virago, St. Alban's, 

 Parmesan, Sabinus, Dutch Skater, Hampton 

 and Chippendale. On the same day the 

 Great Surrey Handicap of five furlongs is a 

 popular spring race, and there are also the 

 Tattenham and Westminster Plates for two- 

 year-olds in the programme. 



On Wednesday the City and Suburban, a 

 high-class handicap of a mile and a quarter, 

 is the chief attraction, and this race ranks as 

 one of the most important handicaps of the 

 racing season, and is invariably productive of 

 a good field, both as regards quality and 

 quantity. It is run on the last mile and a 

 quarter of the Derby course, and in it many 

 great performances have been achieved, not 

 the least of which were the victory of Mr. 

 Vyner's Thunder under 9 stone 4 lb. in 

 1876, the victory of Master Kildare under 

 9 stone 2 lb, in 1880, and the victory of 

 Bend Or under 9 stone in the following year. 

 Other notable winners were Virago and 

 Sabinus, both of which completed the double 

 event of Great Metropolitan and City and 

 Suburban ; Sefton, who won the Derby six 

 weeks later, Reve d'Or, a winner of the 

 Oaks three years before she took the ' City,' 

 Grey Leg, who carried the highest weight 

 under which a three-year-old has ever won, 

 and Worcester. The Americans have won the 

 race with Parole — who also accomplished the 

 double event, having won the Metropolitan 

 on the previous day — and Australian horses 

 were successful in iSggand the two following 

 years, viz. Newhaven II., The Grafter and 

 Australian Star, of which the first named who 

 carried 9 stone in a field of thirteen was 

 much the best. On the City and Suburban 

 day other fairly important races are the Hyde 

 Park Plate for two-year-olds, and the Kings- 

 wood stakes, which is a sort of second edition 

 of the Great Surrey Handicap. 



The Epsom Summer meeting is held in 

 the last week of May, or the first week in 

 June, beginning on Tuesday and extending 

 over Friday. On the first day the Woodcote 

 stakes for two-year-olds is the principal prize, 

 and this race is decided on the last six fur- 

 longs of the Derby course (not on the new 

 straight course), and is the first race of the 

 year in which two-year-olds compete over 

 six furlongs, and it is often won by a really 

 good horse, the bead roll of winners since 

 1807 — the year of its institution — including 

 many great names of which such as Lord 

 Clifden, Achievement, Cremorne, Surefoot, 

 Bonavista, Ladas, Sceptre, and Rock Sand, 

 may be cited as being within memory of 

 most racing people. Other races decided on 

 this day are the Egmont Plate, a five furlong 

 handicap on the new course ; the Craven 

 stakes, a weight for age race on the last mile 

 of the Derby course ; the Norbury Plate, a 

 handicap of a mile and a half ; and the 

 Epsom Plate, a seven furlong handicap on the 

 new course. 



On Wednesday the card, which generally 



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