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FEMININITY AT THE RACES. Leading: Members of English Smart Set Among the Patrons of the Sport. • fnaaiim. Eng.. Julv I.— Racing has been affected onlv in a slight degree by King Bdwards death. Now that the season for tM sport is here again the people, who for the last month have worn mourning ami given up all social entertainments, have resumed the occupations of the gav world in part, and though they still wear black they attend the races and have their house parties in the neighborhood of the courses and their dinners and luncheons. In fact, the usual gavetv of the racing season prevails. king Edward, of course, was one of the greatest royad patrons of the races ever known. Be loved horses and was sportsman enough to take liis gains and losses with e.pianimily. It is to Oj ■ Alex andra, however, that Bngikdi woasea owe their almost universal interest in racing. fifteen « i- twenty years ago few women were seen at the races, excciit at Ascot and Goodwood, which were gnat social functions. Today almost as saany Women as men are present at the racing centers oi England, because Omen Alexandra as Princess of Wales set the fashion of going to the sporting courses and following the events with interest. Her roan try women were quick to adopt the custom, and now they treat the sport as seriously as the men. They breed horses or lake an interest iu their husbands stables. They »-t systematically, know-all the points of I line animal and lose hundreds of .••Hints or several pairs of gloves with the same calmness. This year the death of the king and the abandonment of the social season has induced more women than ever to turn to the ra i as a source of pleasure and excitement and at womens clubs, at theaters, on the streets, one hears scraps of conversation between Women about winners and losers of sweepstakes and favorites. There is an established racing set in England including a number of the smartest women who are always to be seen where races are held. In sonic cas.s their husbands an- prominent as horse owners, hut often they are themselves personally Interested in the sport. I isc Duchess of Devonshire, ror many years head",! the list of ladies who made racing a favorite pursuit, but since the dukes death she has not I n seei any race course and her own horses have been sold, except i r two aM favorites which have been pensioned oft and are leading the siinpltt life in the fields of one of the family estates. Her daughters. Lady Derby and* Lady Gosford. are among the well known member* of the racing set. Ladg Derby attends all the important meetings of the year and non of the ontaiportant. Lord Derby is one of the stewards of the Jockey Club. He has a vacing box at Newmarket and always rents one near Ascot. At Knowsley Lord and Lady Derby usually have parties staying with them for the Grand National week and also for the autumn meeting. Last year King George was the guest of honor at their place for the Grand National. Lord Derby has been selected by the present king to race the late kings horses all this season. Next year King George will control them himself. Lady Londonderry and her daughter. Lndy riches tor. are also fond of tlie sport. Lady Londonderry and her husband, who is a member of Hie Jockey Club, have many horses In training and though they have not places near any of the great racing centers they are always guests of friends who have, so they follow their horses around from one race track to : anot her. Lady Ileheatet is one of the most retiring of women and looks as if she had no sporting proclivities whatever; but that is one of tlie remarkable characteristics or the sporting Englishwoman: she i salways as unlet as though her t. isles ran only in the line of home Interests or books and study. Lady Helen Gordon Lennox has been known throughout England as King Edwards youngest racing hostess, because the king stayed with her father, the Duke of Blefampad, every year mar Good wood and Lady Helen acted as mistress of the bouse. The duke is a keen spoilsman and his daughter has been brought up to know and love horses and she follows eagerly all races in which her fathers horses are entered. Lady Scfton is not entertaining ror the races this year as she and her husband have just returned from a big game expedition in East Africa, but she is usually a hostess as well as a froftjuenter of the courses Lady Carnarvon, who is a very tine horsewoman, takes great interest in racing. For Newbury and Derby she entertains large parlies at Higlulere Castle and she is always present at Hie great meetings. She is reputed to be a heavy la-ttor and more often than not a winner. Mrs. Rupert Pocket. Mrs. Hall. Walker. Mrr. Leopold Rothschild ami Mrs. Arthur Sassoon are other leaders id" the smart racing set. while Lady Anne Lambtoii, Lady Jardine and Lady Duff Gordon are hostesses who entertain lor the racing season with out taking a great deal of interest in the sport themselves. 1 Lady de Rathe Mrs. Langtry is a systematic race goer and owns some of the finest horses in England. She is more often a winner than loser, though she plunges heavily. Lady Essex and Lady Cooper arc aliout the only American women resident in England who can be said to belong to the racing set. Lady Cooper is one of the hostesses for all the famous meetings, and she and Sir George Unfailingly attend the smaller meetings. She takes great Interest in net stables and so rar has lieen winning this season. Lady Essex is less eiithusiaslic as s horsewoman, but she attends meetings regularly and takes her place in the racing set as a hostess.
