80 THE HORSE. 



and progeny of others besides Matchem, Marsk, the sire of Shark (who won in 

 matches upwards of $80,000), Mirza, Bay Malton (who in seven matches won 

 $30,000), King Herod, whose get in nineteen years won more than a million of 

 dollars; Shark himself, afterwards imported to the U. States, who, besides a cup 

 of the value of on<^ hundred and i .. ..ty guineas, and eleven hogsheads of claret, 

 won the vast amount of $77,000. Eclipse is said to have run the four miles at York 

 in 1770, in eight minutes, carrying one hundred and sixty-eight pounds, being forty- 

 two pounds over the standard weight — making the result equal to four miles in G m. 

 27s. If, according to the opinion of experienced sportsmen, the correctness of which 

 is questionable, seven pounds weight be equal to a distance of two hundred and forty 

 yards in a four-mile race ; and giving him a right to dispute the palm of superiority 

 with Flying Childers himself. 



It is to be remembered that neither of these two paragons of thB English Turf, as 

 they are generally esteemed, were trained before they were five years old. Some 

 assuming as a fact, what we consider problematical — a falling off, in stoutness, of 

 the English racer, since the days of Highflyer, — have ascribed it to the modern prac- 

 tice of bringing horses forward too young; but it must not be forgotten that High- 

 flyer himself, who won and received little less than $50,000, and who was never 

 beaten, nor ever paid forfeit, came on the turf in his three year old form, carrying 

 one hundred and twelve pounds, and ran his last race on the 14th of September, 1779, 

 when, though lame and out of condition, he won easy, and retired to the breeding 

 stud at five years old ! But may we not with more reason, attribute the reality, or 

 the assumption, as it may be, of less bottom, or to speak more distinctly, less capacity 

 to carry weight and repeat long distances, in the modern English courser, rather to 

 the modern fashion of training for short racing, and to their reliance on the foot of 

 the horse, and the skill of the rider to bring him out in a brush at the run home, than 

 to any real degeneracy of the stock 1 On these points we find some observations in 

 a journal which well sustains the title of "The Spirit of the Times." The remarks 

 by the Editor are regarded by us as of such high authority, and so apposite, that we 

 cannot forbear giving them a place." 



" The superiority of the English horses over the American, as regards speed, is 

 almost universally allowed by those American turf-men and amateurs who have 

 witnessed their performances at home. 'We might name Captain Stockton, Major 

 Davie, Judge Porter, Mr. Corbin, Mr. Neil, the late Mr. Golden, Mr. Kirkman, 

 and many other gentlemen with whom we have conversed upon the subject. The 

 forte of the English horse of the present day is speed, beyond a doubt; and while 

 Americans give up the point, as to short distances, they think our /oi<r-mile horses 

 can beat the English in races of heats at that distance. There is no encouragement 

 offered to the English turf-man to breed a four-mile horse, save here and there a plate 

 of 100 guineas value; all, or nearly all the valuable prizes are offered for two and 

 three year olds, so that the object of the breeder is to bring out a colt in the fall of his 

 two year old form, having such strength and substance as shall enable him to take 

 up heavy weights, and go from half to three-quarters of a mile at a flight of speed. 

 As colts that have won frequently, beating good fields, as three year olds, are subse- 

 quently very heavily handicapped so as to place them upon an equality with indiffer- 

 ent performers, they almost invariably give way in competing for the valuable ])ublic 

 prizes offered, such as the cups at Goodwood, Liverpool, Ascot, &c. J very fine fimr- 

 mrle horse in En<rl<tnd would not coruniand one-quarter (J the price which could be 

 obtained f'lr a Iritd two year old. He would soon be broken down by having twenty 

 or thirty pounds extra clapi)ed upon his baek, to place him on a level with an untried 

 three year old carrying a feather." 



"Investigator," who we cannot doubt is Mr. B. O. T. of Washington, explains 

 conclusively, to our minds, "the yet unex])]ained difiereuee between the time of the 

 racing in the two counlrics." when he altrilmtes it, in a great measure, to the shape 

 and soil of the English courses. &c., empiiatically called the turf. 



In confirmation of this opiuidu of the effecls of soil, it may be mentioned that a 

 gentleman amateur has just remarked to us, that when Miss Foote lately won a four 

 mile heat on the Melaric Course, New Orleans, in 7m. 35s., the shortest time in 

 America until now beaten by Fashion ana Boston on Long Island, the course was 



