SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



hunters ; a hunter race was included in the 

 programme until 1799, but never gained much 

 support, the biggest field it produced being four 

 horses, while in 1795 and 1796 the solitary 

 starter walked over. The Woburn Stakes, for a 

 long period one of the principal races of the 

 meeting, was established in 1797 as a lo-gn. 

 sweepstake. The management of the races at 

 this time seems to have left something to desire, 

 as we find it recorded that in one race Lord 

 Clermont's Paymaster (got by the famous sire 

 Trumpator) was thrown down by a person riding 

 across the course. In 1797 a horse belonging to 

 the Duke of Bedford walked over for His Grace's 

 own prize. The meeting of 1798 was note- 

 worthy for the success of Sir Charles Bunbury, 

 whose horses won three of the four races. 



The hunter race was dropped in 1800, and 

 the meeting, reduced to three events, seems to 

 have been in danger of falling into decay, from 

 which it was once more rescued by royal patron- 

 age. In 1 80 1 the Prince of Wales sent two 

 horses, Jack Andrews, a successful runner at 

 many meetings, and John o' Groat, which won 

 two races of the four which comprised the card. 

 In 1 804 the meeting came near total collapse ; 

 there were three races, for two of which Sir 

 Charles Bunbury's Prospero and Eleanor were 

 allowed to walk over ; as Eleanor won the Derby 

 and Oaks of 1801 perhaps it is not wonderful 

 that there was no opposition forthcoming. The 

 meeting of 1805 showed a slight improvement, 

 all the three races filling ; the Prince of Wales 

 was among the owners represented. Again in 

 1806 the meeting was a failure ; Lord F. G. 

 Osborne's horse walked over for the Woburn 

 Stakes and the other two ' were not run for want 

 of horses.' The next two years showed an im- 

 provement ; in 1 8 10 the Town Plate of ^50 

 was instituted, making four races, and in 1812 

 prosperity had been restored, the programme 

 consisting of six events, including the Town 

 Plate and the newly-established Oakley Hunt 

 Cup, which latter, however, produced a walk- 



over. 



Bedford could not support six races ; in 1 8 1 3 

 four events were advertised and only three filled. 

 In 1814 the conditions of the Woburn Stakes 

 were altered ; heretofore the winner was to be 

 sold for 200 gns. if demanded ; this year the 

 price was raised to 300 gns., a step which does 

 not appear to have gained increased popularity 

 for the event, as in 181 7 the race was not run, 

 being one of the two which failed to fill, and in 

 1 8 1 8 produced a walk-over. The Town Plate 

 had fallen through in 1816. In 1819 the Duke 

 of Bedford raised the value of his prize to £^0 

 and added ^^20 to the ' Subscription Purse ' ; the 

 Oakley Hunt Cup, worth £10, was reintroduced 

 this year as a farmers' race, but only three 

 started for it. This cup was given again in 

 1 82 1 with 40 gns. in cash added, and produced a 



better field. The Harrold Yeomanry Cup with 

 20 sovs. in specie was given in 1823, but was 

 not successful enough to justify its repetition. 

 The meeting of 1824 was remarkable for the 

 success of Colonel Lan tour's ch. g. Mayday; 

 he was engaged in three matches, each i\ miles, 

 on the same day ; he won the first, walked over 

 for the second, and won the third. 1825 saw the 

 conditions of the Oakley Hunt Cup again re- 

 modelled ; it was this year made a 5-sov. sweep- 

 stake for horses other than thoroughbred to be 

 owned and ridden by members of the hunt. 



The year 1827 saw a new departure at Bed- 

 ford in the shape of a Spring Meeting, held in 

 April ; the programme consisted of races and 

 matches for hunters, and the events filled fairly 

 well. This spring fixture continued until 1835 

 with varying success, but does not call for detailed 

 notice ; the name of Delm6 RadclifFe, so in- 

 timately associated with fox-hunting, occurs very 

 frequently among those of owners who ran horses. 

 The meeting was dropped in 1836 and revived 

 in the following year, when the programme in- 

 cluded a ' Hurdle race with four leaps,' which 

 was run in i^mile heats. In 1842 this event 

 had become the * Grand Bedford Hurdle Race 

 Stakes,' 2 miles with six leaps. In the following 

 year it became a lo-sov. sweepstake, and great 

 things were evidently expected of it as a novelty, 

 for we read that ' The Town would have added 

 40 sovs. had four horses started.' The requisite 

 number, however, was not forthcoming ; five 

 subscriptions only were received, and a single 

 starter, Mr. C. Higgins's Roulette, appeared at 

 the post. The Spring Meeting was held for the 

 last time under the Rules of Racing in May 

 1844. 



Meantime the old Summer Meeting was gain- 

 ing strength; in 1827 the Corporation Plate 

 was given for the first time. In 1829 the con- 

 ditions of the Woburn Stakes were again altered, 

 the selling price of the winner being raised to 

 j^400 ; the programme now consisted of five 

 races. In the following year the king ran 

 Frederica for the Duke of Bedford's Plate ; she 

 was only third, but the royal interest had 

 evidently been enlisted in favour of the meeting, 

 as in 1833 a Royal Plate of 100 gns. was given ; 

 this coveted distinction lent a stimulus to Bedford 

 racing. Sir M. Wood's br. m. Lucetta, Robin- 

 son up, won the King's Plate, and the meeting, 

 which consisted of nine events altogether, was 

 well supported, all the races producing fair fields. 

 The year 1838 saw the institution of the Bedford- 

 shire Stakes; horses of good class were run, and 

 the prospects of Bedford racing had never looked 

 brighter ; matters continued prosperously until 

 1 84 1, when the meeting was more or less a 

 failure : St. Francis was allowed to walk over for 

 the King's Plate, and the sale price of the winner 

 of the Woburn Stakes was reduced to ;^300. 

 The meeting of 1 842 was almost a fiasco : only 



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