212 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



doubt many others, bought for low prices, could only 

 show their excellence when put to the big job. 



And although most of these horses are in the 

 Sttid Book, with the exception of Roquefort, none 

 of them was trained until four years or upwards ; in 

 fact, if we go over the winners for years past, it 

 will be seen that successful Nationals are not always 

 recruited from the misfits of flat-racino-. 



It is my humble opinion that prospective National 

 horses should not be trained early in life. The 

 strain, especially on the heart, is too much if the 

 horses are put to work before they are mature. 



When my helpmate, Mr Meyrick, sent me the 

 list of the only ten mares that have won the 

 National, he also kindly enclosed a full record of 

 the entire horses who have been successful in 

 this race. These total seventeen. The first was 

 Wanderer, 1855, and the most recent Covert Coat, 

 1 91 3, the last of the late Sir Assheton Smith's three 

 winners. It maybe noted that The Lamb, 1 868-1 871, 

 and The Colonel, 1 869-1 870, were winners on two 

 occasions, as were also the geldings, Peter Simple. 

 1849-1853; Abd-el-Kader, 1850-1851 ; Manifesto, 

 1 897- 1 899, and lastly Poethlyn, 1 9 1 8- 1 9 1 9, Poethlyn 

 standing as the third successive double with Abd-el- 

 Kader and The Colonel, if it be correct to include 

 the triumph of Mrs Hugh Peel's great performer at 

 Gat wick. And why noti* — seeing that Mr Topham 



