New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-27
COSTLY RACING IN ENGLAND.
HEAVY EXPENSES FOR THE SPECTATORS
SPECIAL TRAINS AND EXTRA FAREs-EXcEs-
sIvE GRAND STAND FEES

SIvE GRAND STAND FEES
The first thing to impress an American visiting an
English racecoure for the first time IS the heavy at
tendant expense. and with reason, As railway COM
panes racing clubs and refreshmcnt contractors seem
TO have combined to extract the utermost farthlng
from the pockets OF those who follow the sport. The
average duration Of English meetings j. from two 10
four days that the shifts from town 70 town
all over the Kingdom necessating railway JOURNEYS
VARYING from twenty-five TO 800 miles 10 reach the
scene Of action. Thus the railway company gets lts
chance to extort by running special trains at It's own
prices usually double the ordinary fare. the act OK
Parliament regulating the railway charges FOR Ordinary
service only.
These special trains consist entirely Of frsclass
carriages. that person wishing 70 visit the course
must either take ordinary train early III t'e
morning and hang about the course
for three or four hours before the racing begins ~
travel first class at double rates. We VIII presume
that an American arrives in London about the hrst
week in June and makes up his mind 10 60 to Ascot
races a meeting of which he has probably heard much
but he is vague 10 its whereabouts lie makes
INQUIRIES as to the costume and finds that black ~
gray cutaway coat white scarf and wai~coat. Light
trousers patent leather shoes and silk hat are about
the correct thing and light dust coat and pair OF
racing glasses slung over the shoulder are usefm
adiuncts
He lcars that Ascot Is situated about thirty miles
from London in the County # surrey, and proceeds
70 Waterloo station the river. and pays -
shillings lS3 75 for return ticket the ordinary fare
being about 50. There j. tremendous hustle and con-
fusion in the station. and the man who can find a
vacant seat in the first special ont i, indeed fortunate.
and must be on hand very early The Journey j. hot
and dusty and occupies from one TO two hours ana IN
alshting there i choice between hlt Walk
OF a quarter Of a mile a dusty drive IN rdm>hA'h'
conveyance. which is well 10 bargain for bei're-
hand. The admittance fee To the enclosure at Ascot
is % and unless our American visitor has an invita-
afp
seats on the roof from $40 TO slj each II lie
wishes bet with the leading boohnaker~, he m"'t
pay an extra - 30 to enter Tatersal> enclosure ana
- for a ticket TO the horses saddcd IN The pad
dock.
But does he not get his full moneys worth in tho
sight which Ascot offers fine day Where III
the world is more beautiful framcwork TO be ioH"f
for the display Of the best types OF the Anslo>aNon
race both English and American. than tH't a'"r"vi
ly the lovely green lawns. beautiful trees ana be's
Of flowers and wooded hills In The distance \
double line OF fourth hands. with ue H"r''' "E
harne,sed is drawn up opposite the grand stand ara
the coaches are gay with ladies attired IN the most
de,c,te fairies behind The stand every inch OF me
,aw, i ouickly seized by lvcricd buffers and Sroom'
| bu.iy engaged in preparing sumpiuous iun'h~h'
| Luncheon is one Of the most important icdtuNN Oh
! Ascot, and a man measures his popularity hF the
| number 81 invitations he can parade. IL J. an Gnu
less t,arlng from the time of arrival and II "o"h
| "A
on any Of the coaches without the offer of fcin'''
mon, Of some kind. within the enclosure. IN iron;
! ~ the stand. there i brilliant dress pattlc ~ "a
a., celebrities and would be celebrities IN the ana,
who look upon the racing merely an excuse L" 80
and be At the other end of tlr law" ar '''
n"okmakcrs and the rough element that l. the ~
! cyltahlc accompaniment Of all race meeiin-> ana.
though there Is no barrier To prevent ln',r ,N onli
tho fashionable end. they seem to feel 'hnt V'N Won"
be- out ~ place there and seldom intrude among the
"sues' ,
! Eolcs for the meeting command very hch prices ana
] arr,
sons. Although the social side l. su'h t''''u'" ~.
Ascot. probahy AT no meeting in the world i . . .f
Of horsehe,h to be seem A. the prize 9nI1ee ,
very valuable owner are trmptSSS to H ,M ' rt
best animals and with the exception OF the p1rnN 3
Il Lcgcr pcrhap, no honor is more coveted than htt
Of winning the historic Ascot Gold CHp' prlLg "Tb FIX
Prince and Princess of Wales usually are guest 81 org
Of the country seats IN me VICINITY, and Inc a
slowly driven along the course IN an open caifH-e
with eight white horses. 1, certainly charming spec
The meeting at Goodwood in sussex at the end ~
Hy ysS WITH A'c Tn maay Gr nd o%s in spros
being through the beautiful park OF the p,s' oil hrn
and ha, a background OF magnificent old trees, with
typical English landscape in font. The social elcmen'
at Goodwood Is just a, prominent as at ASCOT ana per-
haps little more exclusive. while the rcns Is about
on par.
and kcmpton Parks probably the next most inter-
esng to visit. They are the best example, Of ths
modern raccrack>. and show some resemblance 70
| Morris Park. They are known a gae money ntc'.
ings any wishing to see the racing at all nue.
l
with EPSON, Newmarket and Chester whore e'eryihnS
Is open except the grand stand enclo>u'c'
These raceconr>eS managed by stock conip',m,,
and are OF course. 10 pay dividends. ana M ~,
succeeded in rcvouonlzing racing In England eS ," s
immense prizes they have been able 10 ofrt' - ''o
de,rmcnt OF the old fashioned meetine> Ihei,
club house attached. with private restaurant an,
lawn and membership In either ~tudoNn ar h'ulst
Is hard to obtain. and much priced. The suh-'r'p
is $50 annually with the privilege OF introducing one
lady, but under circumstances gcrtleinal' ~
| ccpt perhaps prominent foreigner by r'Hue''
OF the Minister of his country The display W, ~,
Tho, fa dlX l.
although on a somewhat smaller scale. and tilc ra''r
| excellent. a., ..,, ~,
With regard to other racecourses IL may DC stiu W
a general way that the charges vary IN ac'p"'l'o
with the Importance Of the meetings. but IN no 10
is the entrance fee 10 the grand stand cncosu.c -
than So II will thus be that any one starting
in to win at the races IL England Is murh ln n,
heavily handicapped than In America. but ON '' otr
hand he gets return for his money In thc dNer,,v
OF scene and incidental attractions outside vi mo
racing.
At the SymphOny.-Strngcr (musicalD.- DO You use
the English French pitch IN your ilstrulch',, ~
BOsoni JObl0t (unmusca)-My impression Is uto
they ordinary North Carolina ptch. nut III ask