180 ON AND OFF THE TURF. 



be carried on. They are merely gambling mediums, 

 and have a deteriorating eflfect on the turf. 



The number of short distance races is on the 

 increase, but in proportion to the number run I 

 think there are more races over a mile in length 

 than in England. The Melbourne and Sydney Cups, 

 the two principal races, are each two miles. The 

 Caulfield Cup is a mile and a-half, as is also the 

 A. J. C. Metropolitan Stakes, which was formerly 

 two miles. Nearly all the most important races 

 are run over a mile or a lonofer course. The chief 

 race at the Suburban Saturday Meetings is always 

 longer than a mile, generally a mile and a-quarter 

 or three furlongs. The Champion Stakes, A. J. C. 

 Plate, and Randwick Plate courses are three miles 

 in length ; the Australian Cup, two and a-quarter 

 miles ; the Cumberland Stakes and Loch Plate, two 

 miles ; A. J. C. Autumn Stakes, one and a-half 

 miles; Canterbury Plate, two and a-half miles; 

 A. J. C. Spring Stakes, one and a-half miles. 

 Nearly all the w. f. a. races are a mile or more. 



What surprises me in English racing is to see 

 the vast number of horses stop when asked to gallop 

 a mile. As a matter of fact, very few do gallop 

 a mile. They commence slowly and finish fast if 

 possible. It is no true test of a horse's merits to 

 slow him down the first half mile of a mile race. 

 An English jockey would be just as much at fault 



