196 The Post and the Paddock. 



at Doncaster under 8st. 7lbs. in 7 min. 1 1 sees., and 

 the most desperately run race of modern times was 

 the Emperor's Cup in 1853, when Teddington, 5 yrs., 

 Qst., and Stockwell, 4 yrs., 8st. 5lbs., covered the 2\ 

 miles of a course where "^/to-racing" is a mere 

 euphemism, in 4 min. 33 sees. West Australian and 

 Kingston are said to have done the distance in 6 sees, 

 less, but the pace for the last three-quarters of a mile 

 was not so severe. Velocipede, whom John Scott 

 considered to be the best horse he ever trained, and 

 Osprey, who beat everything of Lord Foley's, when 

 he was out of training, for half a mile were immensely 

 fast, as were all the stock of Buzzard and his de- 

 scendants. Vulture had perhaps the highest speed of 

 any animal that ever trod the turf, but we do not 

 know that her half-mile burst was ever timed. Semi- 

 seria and Queen of the Gipsies are said to have done 

 a half-mile match at Newmarket in 37 sees., while 



1 min. 46 sees, is a good general average for a mile, 



2 mins. 46 sees, for i^ miles, and 3 mins. 46 sees, for 

 two. The slowest race we ever saw was the Ebor 

 St. Leger of 1850, in which, owing to all three jockeys 

 being afraid to begin, the first three-quarters of a mile 

 was walked, and the two miles happily completed, 

 after a slashing head and head race, in 14 mins. 

 17 sees. ! The Newcastle Cup (1855), when Dalkeith 

 and King of Trumps fairly reeled past the post 

 like drunken men, is also one " leading case" of dis- 

 tress ; as Wanota's, in the Ascot Stakes, when Job 

 Marson was three times compelled to indulge him 

 with the lead, and then come and win at the fourth 

 run, is of hard pulling. 



With the exception of the Royal Whip and two 

 Queen's Plates at the Curragh, the Queen's Plate at 

 the Caledonian Hunt, and "The Whip" at New- 

 market, there are no four-mile races left ; and the 

 massacre of cracks which has immemorially been 

 enacted in the last-named race, is enough to drive 



