90 THE HORSE 



a good thing cannot last over three-quarters of a mile. Such is the 

 lottery of breeding race-horses. Venison, the best four-mile horse of 

 his year (excepting Slane), was got by a speedy jade, Partisan, out of 

 Fawn, which could not race five hundred yards ; and Plenipotentiary's 

 dam had great difficulty to run beyond five furlongs. The comparative 

 stoutness of the American and English race-horse is not yet decided. 

 The odds in our favour ought to be three to one, estimating our 

 numerical superiority : if we beat them we shall have no pretensions 

 to crow." 



Since the time at which the above remarks were published, Mr. Ten 

 Broeck's Umpire, who was then first favourite for the Derby, in running 

 that race showed a deficiency in the quality which we are now discussing, 

 and his case, thei'efore, tends to support the Admiral's opinion. The 

 Americans themselves admit that, as far as the performances of their horses 

 in 1857 and 1858 can be considered a criterion, they "had not proved the 

 race-horse of America to be the equal of the race-horse of the English turf ; " 

 my authority being the article on " The American Horses in England," 

 published in the Avierican Racing Calendar for 1859. These conclusions 

 were arrived at after the experience of four seasons, during which Mr. Ten 

 Broeck spared neither money, industry, nor talent, the last being proved 

 by the amount of money which he won in stakes and bets during the time. 

 About twenty horses were trained, and among these he had the luck to 

 have one extraordinai-ily stout mare, and a first-class two-year-old in 

 Umpire ; but all the rest were below mediocrity, and have only " paid their 

 way " in matches and handicaps, when they certainly were so weighted as 

 to lead one to suppose that they are of a superior class to our own horses. 

 I shall, however, separate the performances of the three, so that the reader 

 may not only contrast the old with the modern horse, but also the English 

 with the American. 



TIMES MADE BY" THE HORSES OF THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST 



CENTURY. 



Hs. Mill. Sec. 



About 1721, Childers ran in a trial, carrying 9st. 21bs., the R. C, Newmarket 



(3 miles 4 fur. 53 yds. ) in 6 40 



The same horse is also recorded to have run the Beacon Course, Newmarket 



(4 miles 1 fur. 138 yds.) in 7 30 



In 1745, Mr. Thornhill rode from Stilton to London, back, and again to London 



(213 miles) in 11 13 



In 1752, Skewball, by the Godophin Barb, carrying 8st. 71bs., ran 4 miles over 



the Curragh in 7 51 



In 1753, at Newmarket, Matchem ran the Beacon Course (3 miles 4 fur. 93 yds.) 



carrying Sst. 7Ibs. in 7 20 



In 1755, Bay Bolton, at York, ran 4 miles, which was considered extra- 

 ordinary time, in 7 43 



In 1759, at York, Careless, carrying 9st., ran 4 miles in 8 8 



BEST MODERN ENGLISH TIMES. 



In 1831, Mr. Osbaldeston, list., rode 200 miles over the R. C. , Newmarket, using 



28 horses, including 1 hour 22 min. 56 sec. for stoppages, in 8 42 



In 1846, Sir Tatton Sykes ran the St. Leger Course at Doncaster (1 mile 6 fur. 



132 yds.) in 3 16 



In 1847, Cossack and War Eagle ran for the Newmarket Stakes D. I. 7 fur. 210 



yds. in 1 44 



In 1848, Surplice and Cymba, in the Oaks and Derby, each ran 1^ miles over this 



severe course, 8st 71b.'i, and Sst. 31bs., in 2 48 



