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why it should now be ruled as a misdemeanour to give a 

 horse that which will enable him to produce his best powers 

 at the very moment they are most required, while during 

 the preparation for the event every form of medicine and 

 tonic is allowable to bring him up to the pitch required. It 

 seems curious reasoning to deny at the last moment what 

 will enable a horse to wiji his race, though to give something 

 which will certainly cause him to lose it instead is quite 

 another matter ! The usual argument is that doping — in 

 which term is included the administration of a stimulant — 

 is likely to be prejudicial to the animal in after-life, 

 especially in the case of its progeny, which may be injuriously 

 affected thereby. But how does this argument hold good if 

 carried logically further '? Is it absolutely necessary that 

 geldings should be deprived of a mild stimulant, if needed, 

 for how can their progeny suffer thereby ? The knife of the 

 surgeon should also surely be suppressed, since it renders 

 the animal incapable of begetting progeny at all — which is 

 going even beyond doping ! Such a conclusion would have 

 no doubt caused Euclid much merriment if the proposition 

 had been placed before him. 



The famous steeplechase trainer, the late Mr. Linde, 

 liked an old experienced jockey to have just a "wee drappie" 

 before getting into the saddle, for, he used to remark, it 

 just put that heart and dash into him that brought out his 

 best powers, which the memory of many falls, and close 

 shaves, was apt to diminish. He was very averse though 

 to a young jockey taking anything, for in this case, he said, 

 he probably in his excitement forgot the little he ever 

 knew ! Is not what is good for the rider likely also to be 

 good for the horse that carries him ? Otherwise the law 

 against administering a stimulant to the one should surely 

 apply to the other too ! It is rather necessary that there 

 should be no long delay at the post after any such in- 

 dulgence, as an incident at the Newbridge Kaces in 1879 

 may prove. There had been several false starts before one 

 of the races, when at length a jockey sidled up to the 

 starter and ejaculated in a low whisper, " Captain, darlint, 

 can't you let us go?" Then, putting his hand to his 



