68 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS OF EXGLISH HORSES. 



sti'ictest attention has for the last hundred years been paid to his pedigree. 

 In the descent of ahiiost every modern racer, not the slightest flaw can be 

 discovered : or when, with the splendid exceptions of Sampson and Bay 

 Malton, one drop of common blood has mingled with the pui^e stream, it 

 has been immediately detected in the inferiority of form and deficiency of 

 stamina, and it has required two or three generations to wipe away the 

 stain and get rid of its consequences. 



The racer is generally distinguished by his beautiful Arabian head : 

 tapermg and finely-set-on neck ; oblique lengthened shoulders ; well-bent 

 hinder legs ; ample, muscular quarters ; flat legs, rather short from the 

 knee downward, although not always so deep as they should be ; and his 

 long and elastic pastern. These will be separately considered when the 

 structure of the horse is treated of. 



The Darley Arabian was the parent of our best racing stock. He was 

 purchased by Mr. Darley's brother at Aleppo, and was bred in the neigh- 

 bouring desert of Palmyra. His figure contained every point, without 

 much show, that could be desired in a turf-horse. 



The immediate descendants of this invaluable horse were the Devon- 

 shire or Flying Childers ; the Bleeding or Bartlett's Childers, who was 

 never trained ; Ahnanzor, and others. 



FL-STNG CHILDERS. 



The two Childers were the means through which th6 blood and fame of 

 their sire were widely circulated ; and from them descended another Chil- 

 ders, Blaze, Snap, Sampson, Eclipse, and a host of excellent horses. 



The Devonshire or Flying Childers, so called from the name of his 

 breeder, Mr. Childers, of Carr House, and the sale of him to the Duke of 

 Devonshire, was the fleetest horse of his day. He was at first trained as a 

 hunter, but the superior speed and courage which he discovered caused 

 him to be soon transferred to the turf. Common report afiirms that he 

 could run a mile in a minute ; but there is no authentic record of this. 

 Childers ran over the round course at Kewmarket (three miles, six fur- 

 longs and ninety-three yards) in six minutes and forty seconds, and the 



