The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-06 00:00:00

GOODWOOD, 1866.

The facetious correspondent of the Racing Times
writes on the above subject as follows :

I generally photograph anything of note coming
under my observation, and so insure correctness of
illustration, not usually attainable by other means ;
thus, in speaking of Goodwood, I abstain from pre-
fixing " Glorious," " Gorgeous," " Princely," or
other fulsome adjectives adopted by reporters and
advertisers and describe the locality simply as it is.
Situate about five miles from the ancient city of
Chichester, in an extensive and nicely wooded
domain, the house is an old-looking one, well
sheltered from all points except the south, and no
doubt affords comfortable quarters for such as are
lucky enough to get invited, of which number I
did not happen to form one, through some unac-
countable mistake of his Grace. The park is too
far from London, and no amount of cheap trains
will ever tempt the Cockney public to exhibit them-
selves at Goodwood in force—in fact, they are not
wanted ; and if they were, Epsom, Ascot, and
Hampton present far greater attractions for the
general masses. A journey by the ten o'clock ex-
press on Thursday last brought me to Chichester
very comfortably in two hours and a quarter, hav-
ing stopped previously at Drayton, where at least
sixty traps of all sorts, from large London
omnibuses downwards, were placed outside the
station ; .10s. was the moderate figure asked

for the transit of one person, so that several
gentlemen returned to their seats in the train,
and probably not more than fifty stayed to be-
come victims of extortion, less than one for every
vehicle. At Chichester the same thing was tried
on, but with very limited success, for I contrived to
get a cast in a wagonette for half-a-crown, about
double that sum being the general tariff. The road
is on an ascent the whole distance, and the views
from the park and surrounding downs are of a most
charming description. The course consists chiefly
of made ground, originally formed at considerable
expense. The Grand Stand is a large permanent
structure, shaded at the back by, and approlched
through, a plantation ; at one end, and in
the front, is an extensive space, and at the
other end a lawn, chiefly for ladies, who
either promenade or occupy seats beneath the
trees on an elevated slope. This scene on a fine day
is extremely novel, and the youth and beauty of
England's daughters are displayed to the greatest ad-
vantage. The energy of fashionable milliners must
have been extensively taxed, and a sight like the
lawn on a Cup-day cannot be excelled, or, as far
as my experience goes, not even approached, else-
where. The loud, discordant noted of the betting
fraternity from the ring proper on one side and the
outside ring on the other, formed a strange contrast
to the galaxy of rank and fashion, foremost amongst
whom was the Princess of Wales penned up in the
enclosure between them. To the left of the stand
is a large hill called the Trundle, on the slopes of
which were small parties, who had a far better view
of the races than if placed in the Stand, as it commands
the long run in the whole distance. It had,
however, a barren appearance on Thursday. Oppo-
site the stand, and extending about a couple of hun-
dred yards, the railings of the course are placed on
the verge of a steep embankment, so that only one
row of persons can remain. At the end of the lawn
the slope continues, and in small wooden erections,
and under the trees, are placed the usual strong
supply of betting men, with .all sorts of names and
residences printed on large cards, one of the most
conspicuous of which was " Church and Good,
London." This had a curious effect at first eight,
the names being typical of things which I should
rarely expect to find in such quarters. Next suc-
ceeded eight small booths, at only one of which
dinner was announced. Brown's was called " first-
class ;" Bridger and Boulter came next ; Collins,
of Bosham, possessed a couple, and Deller, of
Harmsworth, three ; but they did not appear to
command anything like a run. Two of the booths
were announced for sale{, with a " living" van,
which must have been a curiosity in its way.
Remove the lawn and its aristocratic attend-
ants, and Goodwood could only be regarded as
an ordinary country race meeting. I am not
now speaking of the character of the stakes, nor
their influence over greater events, but merely
• of the locality ; of the racing as a whole the less
probably that is said about it
.the better. There
was a singular absence of gambling—no cards, dice,
iron rings, thimbles, garters, or any of the old tricks
; upon yokels. The only chance of being victimised
was by about half-a-dozen young fellows, each on
a stool, offering to sell very common leather purses
for a shilling, containing various sums of money,
from half-a-crown upwards, but I did not see
any person invest their coin. A.very marked degree
of politeness pervaded the police, who, instead of