EARLY RACING 151 



or after parting with her. He had also a great fine 

 chestnut mare called Haley, about sixteen hands high, 

 and strong in proportion, that could not get over half a 

 mile on the flat ; and we sold her, too, for a small sum. 

 A year or two later I went to Shrewsbury, and heard 

 that Haley was sure to win the Two Mile Steeplechase, 

 being then first favourite. It suddenly occurred to me 

 that this might be the mare I had sold, and I felt con- 

 vinced, if it was, she could not have much chance of 

 winning over a long course in deep ground, though 

 welter weights might suit her. Staying at the same 

 place, I saw her returning from exercise the day before 

 the race looking very well ; but could not bring my mind 

 to think she could be made to stay such a course. In 

 the result she was beaten, but ran much better than I 

 expected to see her, being, if I remember rightly, a 

 moderate third. 



This result proved to me, then, a curious fact which 

 every day more fully confirms, and that is, that speedy 

 horses will stay in deep ground over a steeplechase 

 course as well as, or better than, slow game horses do 

 over the flat. Oxonian, I admit, was an exception to 

 this rule. I can only attribute this to the slowness of 

 the pace at which, generally, they travel, and also to the 

 fact of their being eased so often before taking their 

 fences. Otherwise, I should expect to see the same 

 result over one course as over the other, if due allowance 

 be made for the different effect produced by the wet or 

 dry condition of the ground on different horses; and 

 until I have ocular demonstration to the contrary I shall 

 always think so. 



Besides his share in Joe Miller, Mr. Farrance had a 

 third share in One Act, and a share in Noisy, Maid of 

 the Mill, Miss Emma, Cardinal Wiseman, and a few 



