134 HISTORY OF THE 



3 minutes, 23 seconds, carrying 8 st. 61b. At the 

 commencement of the present century, 3 and 4 

 mile heats, with lOst. 41bs. to list. 61bs. formed 

 the conditions on which the Roval Plates were 

 usually run for. Sir Charles Bunbury introduced 

 the system of short races, and light weights, and 

 the conditions of the Royal Plates were gradually 

 altered to suit the new style of racing. From this 

 period we may date the falling off of our present 

 breed of thorough bred horses, as compared with 

 those of the eighteenth century, both in speed and 

 stoutness. It is well known that we have not such 

 good four mile horses, as they are termed, as for- 

 merly, and we consider the reasons obvious. In 

 the first place, we have at present very few four 

 mile races, either at Newmarket, or in the country ; 

 consequently the deep rate of the old four mile 

 horses is not wanted ; but as in short distances a 

 horse is required to get off quickly, or as the term 

 is to get on his legs, in a few hundred yards, the 

 animal now in request is one of a lighter and more 

 active kind. In the next place, it must be ob- 

 served that the most celebrated horses of the last 

 century, such as Childers, Old Crab, Flea-catcher, 

 Eclipse, Herod, &c., &c., did not appear on the 

 Turf before they were five years old ; while now, the 

 inducement to train colts and fillies at a very early 

 period of their lives, before they are arrived at their 

 full growth and powers, must have a most injurious 

 effect on their stamina. According to the present 



