268 



minute, the greatest degree of velocity of which any Horse was ever 

 cajxible, or probably ever will be. He likewise ran over the Beacon 

 Course, four miles, one furlong, one hundred and thirty-eight yards, in 

 seven minutes and thirty seconds, covering, at each bound, a space of 

 twenty-five feet. He also leaped ten yards on a level ground, with his 

 rider. The Devonshire, or Flying Childers, died in his Grace's stud in the 

 year 1741, having covered few mares, but those of his [)roprietor. The 

 high rank which he and his sire have attained in our pedigree, has been 

 repeatedly adverted to. The Darley and Godolphin Arabians, divide 

 the palm between them; in stating which, it ought not to be forgot- 

 ten, that \vhereas the latter had a great number of the best mares in the 

 country, the Darley Arabian covered few mares, excepting those of his 

 owner, and some of those were said to be of inferior blood. 



We have it on the authority of a cotemporary and a sportsman, that a 

 •Welsh gentleman offered the Duke of Devonshire for his Horse Chil- 

 ders, the weight of the Horse in crowns and half-crowns, which the 

 Duke refused. 



The dam of Flying Childers produced a colt which was killed by be- 

 ing choaked from eating chaff or hulls, at the barn-door, a memorandum 

 worth retaining, for the sake of the caution it may induce : Also Bleed- 

 ing Childers, so called from his frequently bleeding at the nose, after- 

 wards Bartlet's Childers, never trained, but of the highest reputation in 

 our pedigrees, as a stallion. 



The memory of Old Partner deserves a short notice. His fame 

 was equally great as a racer, as it has since proved in the character of 

 a stallion. Mr. Croft's Partner was bred by Charles Pelham, Esq. 

 at Brocklesby, in Lincolnshire, the birth-place of many high-bred 

 racers, and foaled in 1718. He was got by Jig, a son of Captain B}^- 

 erley's famous Turk ; his dam, the dam also of Soreheels, own sister to 

 the Mixbury Galloway, and grand-dam to Crab, Snip, and others, by 

 the Curwen Bay Barb ; grand-dam, by the Curwen Old Spot, a daughter 

 of the Chesnut White-legged Leather Barb, out of the old Vintner Mare. 

 The Mixbury Galloway was only thirteen hands two inches high, but 

 one of the best runners of his time at light weights. The pedigree of 

 the Vintner Mare was unknown. She was a brood mare some years 



before 



