Cowes for the use of Queen Elizabeth I sowed the seed for Cowes to grow into a world-renowned centre of boat-building. However, seafaring for recreation and sport remained the exception rather than the rule until much later. It was not until the reign of keen sailor George IV that the stage was set for the heyday of Cowes as 'The Yachting Capital of the World.' In 1826 the Royal Yacht Squadron organised a three-day regatta for the first time and the next year the king signified his approval of the event by presenting a cup to mark the occasion. This became
The Merry Monarch highest money winner of the British season behind Refraction and Sweetmeat. On his only race as a four-year-old, The Merry Monarch returned to Epsom for the Grand Stand Plate, a mile and a quarter handicap on the day after the Derby. Carrying top weight of 118 pounds, he finished unplaced behind an unnamed colt owned by James Merry. Before the end of the year, The Merry Monarch changed hands three times. Following his run at Epsom he was bought by Lord George Bentinck, but a month later, Bentinck decided to give up his racing interests to concentrate on politics and