20 THE TURF 



At Newmarket, though there were for- 

 merly six and eight mile races, there are 

 now not more than four over the Beacon 

 Course, or B. C. as it is called, which is 

 four miles, in all the seven meetings. This 

 is an improvement, not only on the score 

 of humanity, but as far as regards sport, 

 for horses seldom come in near to each 

 other, after having run that course. Indeed, 

 so much is the system of a four-mile heat 

 disliked, that, when it does occur, the horses 

 often walk the first two. Yet it sometimes 

 happens otherwise, as in the case of Chateau- 

 Margaux and Mortgage, in one of the meet- 

 ings in 1826; but all who remember the 

 struggle between these two noble animals 

 the very best of their kind, perhaps never 

 exceeded in st0utness,and the state in which 

 they appeared at the conclusion, can only 

 think of it with disgust. Chateau's dead 

 heat with Lamplighter was something like a 

 repetition of the scene ; but, to the honour 

 of their owners, they were not suffered to 

 run another, and the plate was divided 

 between them. 



The Curragh of Kildare is said to be in 

 some respects its equal, but nothing can be 



