'248 



pitch of nicety. The maximum of a Horse's speed, dependant on a 

 variety of circumstances, can scarcely he permanent, and he will run 

 variously at different times, and on different occasions. This will al- 

 ways render the event extremely uncertain between Horses of nearly 

 equal qualification. But where great difference of qualification exists, 

 the matter is far otherwise, and barring accidents, the event borders on 

 certainty. With respect to the famous racer Escape, I have always 

 been inclined to suspect that Chifney formed his opinion rather from 

 prejudice and misconception, than on what be really knew of the Horse, 

 and he surely ought to have known more of him than any other man. 

 I think the running of Escape fully confirmed the judgment of His 

 Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, that stoutness, not speed, was the 

 best of him : at any rate, his game was generally most to be depended 

 upon, although having also great speed, he occasionally proved superior 

 in short or waiting races. 



Chifney's book, moreover, gives intelligence of an alarming nature, 

 such as I had supposed abhorrent to the humane and just feelings of 

 sportsmen of every degree in the present times. Is it credible, that of 

 late years, a set of miscreants have been suffered to prowl about in the 

 dark, and practise inhuman and infamous tricks upon the generous 

 Race-horse, in high |jreparation for winning, by thrusting down his 

 throat deleterious drugs, in the common language of the stable, " Poi- 

 soning him for the race." It is too notorious that such rascality was prac- 

 tised in former times, and scarcely possible to withhold our belief from 

 Chifney's assertions, as to the latter. Crude opium in balls and lau- 

 danum in drinks, have been named, as the s|)ecifics in these cases, 

 large doses of opium having the effect of paralyzing the muscular 

 powers, and clogging, with a drowsy and oppressive weight, the action 

 of the Horse. This is assassination, and fighting with poisoned shot. 

 It is a base fraud, of which the practiser, in turn, would become the 

 victim; and it highly concerns every sporting genlleman to exert him- 

 self to the utmost, in the bouudeu duty of extirpating from the turf, the 

 blackguard vermin ^^'ho crawl about, in order to pick up a living from 

 sut4i infernal practices, 



The subject ought further to be considered, in an especial manner, 



for 



