Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-10

AS the prince of Wales, King Ed
ward VII was a noted patron of the
turf, and lucky one. That his interest
in the sport of kings" did not languish
when he actually became king is
shown by the appointment of Lord
Marcus Beresford as extra eQuerry,'
Or, speaking plainly, manager Of the
Kings racing stables. A London turf
writer says that it makes little differ
ence whether the kings horses race
under his own title or that of Beres-
ford. Assumed names in horse-racing
are easily interchanged for the real
articles by anybody who wants to
know, and the fierce light which beats
upon the throne extends it's radiance,
in these sporting days, to a royal stud
and its belongings. Lord Marcus
Beresford has had much experience on
the turf and of late years he has been
the ruling power over the prince of
Wales's stud. He occupies position
similar to that Of Mr. Place, who was
master of horse to Oliver Cromwell,
who is said to have raced horses.
Another of Lord Marcus BeresfOrd's
predecessors was Thomas Panton,
Familiarity known as Tommy" Panton,
master of the game to George II and
| George III. Mr.. PantOn, however,
during his lifetime had the manage
| ment of the race horses of Kings
George II and III, and, though neither
of them cared very much about the
sport, nominally kept up small stud
of race horses under the title of run
ming horses.
In taking the turf under his patron
| age when prince of Wales, the king
was but following the example set by
many of his predecessors, says London
| Field So far back as the year 1877,
the prince Of Wales, afterward Rich
ard II, matched a horse against another
| belonging to the earl of Arundel, by
whom he was beaten both owners
riding their own horses. The prince
tried to console himself for his defeat
by buying his opponents steed for a
sum which would about represent
| 1000 OF our money now. Civil wars
| and various other causes were inStru-
mental in putting racing out OF gear
| for some time, and it was not until the
much-married Henry VIII came to the
throne of England that racing began
to hold it's head once more. The
monarch both owned and raced horses,
as i'll NichOlas's privy purse expenses,
| there is an entry relating to the
board of 'the Barbary horse" and a
reward to the boy who "ranne'' him.
After the race the horse was INDUCED
with bath, which was duly charged
for The boy received but a small
sum for his exertions, but retainers
and fancy fees were not known then,
for James l paid his jockey no more
than slXpence day, while the grand
stand erected at Croydon when Queen
Elizabeth, who kept race horses and
attended meetings, went to the races
| there, was put up at no greater cost
than "a shillings.
! Though King Charles [ owned
number of horses, there was expert
enced during the commonwealth no
little difficulty in determining what
should be done with them, while the
second Charles followed racing with
great vlgor, and was as inveterate a
matchmaker as Admiral Rous or Sir
John Ashley. If the turf declined under
James II, it took a fresh start under
| William III, and matches being the
favorlte form of racing, the king was
not behind others in making them, and
in 1893 he won one for 6 500 with his
horse Stiff Dick against Lord Whar-
tons Careless, and it has been said
that he made another with the duke
of Somerset for $4,000. In Queen
Anne the turf had an energetic pat
| roness, while the first two Georges
| were too much taken up with other
| things to do more than give pro
lorna support to racing From 1884
the prince of Wales was an ardent adj
/ m1rer and like him who is now sover-
eign, was very successful, as between
1884 and 1892 he won no fewer than
lo5 races, and, considering how small
were the stakes in those days, it is
marvellous that his winnings should
{; nave amounted to about 100000. On
reJolnlng the turf after the Jockey
club fispUto. tho o~inoe won 107 races
between 1900 and 1907, to which he
add"' when king, 20 more, from 1927
to 1872.
me present kings earliest connec-
tloE With the turf is usually said to
nav" cen in 1867. when, as the prince
OF s,es, he picked up in Cairo an
unh"H IN Syrian horse named AIep.