TRAINING FOR RACING, POINT-TO-POINT 375 



and it was very possible, as happened the very year before, that 

 the snow might have lain for many consecutive weeks, when 

 there would never have been another opportunity of jumping 

 the horses again before the big race. The sharp work on the 

 sands was given during a hard frost to get the horses ready 

 to take advantage of any open weather for jumping them, 

 and therefore they were galloped several consecutive days to 

 make up for the rather prolonged idle time they had been 

 having, for it was found that they lathered more than was 

 anticipated when they recommenced fast work. They were 

 closely watched, and as they were improving m every way 

 there was no hesitation about keeping them going, for there 

 was plenty of time to ease them a little later on. Quite a 

 different course would have been pursued if there had been 

 a fair prospect of open weather before us. As it was, all the 

 three horses came out in excellent condition, and after 

 Monkshood's race Captain Owen stated to the writer that 

 he thought he had never ridden a horse so thoroughly fit as 

 Monkshood was that day, and that he could easily have 

 galloped another round of the course had he been required 

 to do so. Monkshood was subsequently sold to go to India 

 to win a mile Cup race on the flat, which he did with ease. 



It may be noticed from the diary that only twice was 

 3 miles exceeded in training, 3^ miles having been covered 

 on the flat on March 5th, and 4 miles a week later, on 

 March 11th. This was the last real gallop the horse had, 

 four days before his race, for the gallop on March 13th was 

 only a short, sharp one, to open his pipes. It has already 

 been stated that 3 miles is quite sufficient to get a horse 

 ready for any length of race, and when Frigate won the 

 Liverpool Grand National, which is run over rather more 

 than 4^ miles, her owner and trainer, Mr. M. Maher, told 

 me she had only twice exceeded 3 miles in her preparation, 

 having then galloped 4 miles. Moreover, she would not have 

 been sent that distance a second time if he had not been 

 unavoidably prevented from being present when the first 

 4-mile gallop was arranged, and therefore she was sent the 

 same distance on a subsequent day in order that he might 

 satisfy himself as to her condition. 



