250 



M'ell satisfied at the purchase, for such a price, of the reputed sire of 

 Echpse, of which, by that time, he had doubtless discovered the great 

 promise. On the great performances of Eclipse becoming known, the 

 fameof Marske advanced, and his price, as a covering stallion, to thirty 

 guineas. lie was then, indeed, esteemed the first stallion in the coun- 

 try, and was sold to Lord Abingdon for a thousand guineas; his Lord- 

 ship advertising him to cover at one hundred, afterwards for one sea- 

 son, at three hundred guineas each mare. He died in 1779. In twenty- 

 two years, one hundred and fiftj^-four winners of his get produced 

 71,806/. and upwards. 



Putting Eclipse out of question, Marske was the sire of some of our 

 best Racers, Honest Kit, Shark, Masquerade, Pretender, &c. Shark, 

 with respect to the work he did, both in public and private, and 

 the sums he won, is perhaps to be esteemed the best Racer which has 

 vet appeared, but he was confined to Newmarket. He was trained at 

 three years old, and raced four seasons, in which he had thirty-six en- 

 gagements, and started twenty-nine times, out of which he won nine- 

 teen, receiving six forfeits, and paying four forfeits and a compromise, 

 exclusive of the Clermont Cup, value one hundred and twenty guineas, 

 eleven hogsheads of claret, and the whip. Shark won 16,057 guineas in 

 plates, matches, sweepstakes, &c. a larger sum than any other Horse ever 

 won. He died some years since, near Alexandria inVirginia. Shark's dam 

 also bred the famous Chrysolite colt, which won the great sweepstakes, 

 at Nottingham, in 1777, beating Pot8os, Tremamondo, and Flea- 

 catcher, which Mr. Swinfen unfortunately lost, after having refused 

 for him 1,800 guineas. 



HiGHFLYEK, ill which was blended the blood of the Godolphin Ara- 

 bian, through Blank, with that of the Byerley Turk, and Darley Ara- 

 bian, through Partner, Tartar, and King Herod, was bred in Suffolk, 

 in the stud of Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury, Bart, and sold a yearling 

 to Lord Bolingbroke. I have been informed, he was, perhaps at the 

 convivial board, named Highflyer, from a walnut of the same name, in 

 •Suffolk. He was out of the dam of Mark Anthonv. I well recollect 

 tlie dispute quoted by the author of the Stud Book, as to the fact of 

 Highflyer's having paid a forfeit, and been once beaten in 1777, wlien 



three 



