Fat, placid Queen Anne got tired of bouncing in a carriage over Britain's heaths watching the gentlemen of her court chase deer. She established the Ascot racecourse so that she could sit in one place and watch the gentlemen race their horses around. In the 238 years since then (right up into last week), interesting occurrences have taken place at Ascot.
Charles James Fox, great friend of American independence, appeared at Ascot, they say, in a grey topper, and started a fashion that slowly took hold. In 1791 there was a celebrated running of the Oatlands stakes at Ascot. Baronet,...
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