454 MAXTAL OF MODERJ^ FARRIERY. 



Curragli of Kildare. Skew Ball ran the four miles in seven 

 minutes and fifty-one seconds. 



1752, April 4th. — A little mare, belonging to ^Mr. 

 Spedding, ran twenty times round the five-mile course at 

 the Curragh of Kildare in twelve hours and a half, for one 

 hundred guineas, half forfeit. She was allowed thirteen 

 hours to do it in. And the next morning, for a bet of one 

 hundred guineas, she ran the same ground to a minute. 

 She was rode both days by a boy of Lord Antrim's. 



This mare was bought by Mr. Spedding for twopence per 

 pound weight. 



1754, September 11th. — At SwifPham races, a mare of 

 Mr. Suting's beat a horse of Mr. Demiug's, in a sixty-mile 

 match, for one hundred guineas. The winner performed 

 the distance in four hours and twenty minutes. 



1759, June 27th. — Jennison Shafto, Esq., performed a 

 match against time, on I^ewmarket Heath ; the conditions 

 of which were, he was to ride fifty miles (having as many 

 horses as he pleased) in two successive hours, which he 

 accomplished with ten horses, in one hour and forty-nine 

 seconds. 



1791, December 24th. — Mr. Hall's horse, Quibbler, ran a 

 match for one thousand guineas, twenty-three miles in one 

 hour, round the flat at Newmarket, which he performed in 

 fifty-seven minutes and ten seconds. 



1791, October 6th. — At the meeting in the Curragh, 

 Mr. Wild made bets to the amount of two thousand guineas, 

 to ride against time, viz., one hundred and twenty -seven 

 miles in nine hours. He started in a valley near the Cur- 

 ragh course, where two miles were measured in a circular 

 direction ; each time he encompassed the course, it was re- 

 gularly marked. During the interval of changing horses, 

 he refreshed himself with a mouthful of brandy and water, 



