892 



/j" 



-7^- 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



" We deplore the degeneracy of our race- 

 horses. Yes we do : but, what Is far worse, 

 with all the means at hand we will not make 

 use of them to keep our breed of Horses as it 

 once was. Now let us look to the present 

 system, and see what are the chances of a 

 remedy. In this world we cannot go back : 

 " forward, forward !" is the present ciy. How 

 then can we expect Racing to be steady ? 

 Look at its Augean Stable : who is to cleanse 

 it ? Who will do away with the July Stakes ? 

 Who dares to annihilate the favourite Two- 

 year-old Course ? Who can command that 

 the great Races of the year shall be contended 

 for by four-year-olds, or induce men to keep 

 Horses in training when there is no longer 

 (comparatively) anything worth contending 

 for? Will the most Influential on the Turf 

 (The Lpgs) assist? Will public trainers re- 

 commend such changes ? Will that class of 

 men who now keep race-horses as a means of 

 livelihood (a thing unknown in the olden 

 time) strive to confer a National benefit? No, 

 no ! When Racing shall again become the 

 exclusive sport of Gentlemen ; when trainers 

 shall again be private servants, and wear 

 livery coats ; when the owners of race-horses 

 dare to go into tlie stables where their Horses 

 are kept without leave, and not only to ask 

 questions, but to give commands ; when they 

 shall in a great measure give up the system 

 of book-making, and match their Horses for 

 1000/. across the Beacon ; when they shall as 

 much as possible separate themselves from 

 the most execrable and disgusting set of 

 vagabonds that ever disgraced our name and 

 nation ; when the race-course shall no longer 

 be a mere Stock Exchange — then will there 

 be an honorable emulation to bring to the post 

 an animal worth looking at ; but not till then. 



" Ana now a few words on that most iuler- 

 esting subject, Breeding. "We will begin with 

 the Arabian, as the founder of our present race 

 of blood Horses. Many contend that all our 

 English race-horses may be traced back to 

 pure Eastern descent on both sides : there we 

 are at issue, and this is the mist that obscures 

 the views of some of our first masters. 



" Voltaire tells us (not that I agree to hali 

 he says), that ' incredulity is the beginning of 

 wisdom :' at all events it encourages research. 

 For one I cannot but feel assured, and on this 

 point common sense bears me out, that when 

 Racing was first introduced, and was begin- 

 ning to be popular in this kingdom, pure 

 Native Horses were trained, and ran, and 

 bore off the bell ! Does not the appearance 

 and character of some of our best race-horses 

 warrant such a conclusion, shewing not one 

 atom of Eastern descent ? Well, the fastest of 

 these were then selected as blood-stock . by 

 care and attention the produce of these animals 

 became more speedy, and lighter in form ; and 

 then the cross with the Eastern Horse in-and- 

 in, through two or three generations, in the 

 fulness of time produced the 7ie jjIus ultra, and 

 Nature cried, ' Hold ! — enough !' She has 

 her limits ; we cannot go beyond them : yet 

 this is what our present breeders are trying 

 to do, and hence the failure. Notwithstanding 

 the repeated trials they have made with the 

 Arab and the blood mares in this country of 

 the present day, and notwithstanding they 

 must perceive that such silkworms spin their 

 thread too fine, yet they will persevere to their 

 own disappointment. Was the whole race of 

 what are teiTued thorough-bred Horses now 

 annihilated, in my humble opinion, with the 

 assistance of Arabians as stallions only, in 

 little more than a century there would agam 



