THE RACE-IIORSE. 



69 



Beacon course (four miles, one furlong, and one hundred and thirty-eight 

 yards) in seven minutes and thirty seconds. In 1772, a mile was run by 

 Firetail in one minute and four seconds. 



In 1755, Bay Malton, the property of the Marquis of Rockingham, ran 

 the four-mile coui'se at York in seven minutes and forty-three seconds, this 

 being seven seconds less time than it had ever been accomplished in before. 

 Some of these old ones could run fast as well as stoutly. Twenty years 

 afterwards there was a beautiful horse, the son of Eclipse, and inheriting 

 a great portion of his speed vvdthout his stoutness. He won almost every 

 mile-race for which he ran, but he never could accomjilish a four-mile one. 

 He broke down, in 1779, running over the Beacon course. 



One of the most reallij severe races that ever was run took place at 

 Carlisle in 1761. There was no less than six heats, and two of them dead 

 heats. Each of the six was honestly contested by the winning horse : 

 therefore he ran in good earnest twenty- four miles : yet there was no 

 breaking down, nor any account of the slightest injury received. 



The following are some additional instances of the mingled speed and 

 endurance of these horses, and deserve to be placed on record : — 



In October, 1741, at the Curragh meeting in Ireland, Mr. Wilde engaged 

 to ride one hundred and twenty-seven miles in nine hours. He performed 

 it in six hours and twenty-one minutes. He employed ten horses, and, 

 allowing for mounting and dismounting, and a moment for refreshment, he 

 rode during six hours at the rate of twenty miles an hour. 



Mr. Thornhill, in 1745, exceeded this; for he rode from Stilton to 



London and back, and again to London, being two hundred and thirteen 

 miles, in eleven hours and thirty-four minutes. This amounts, after allow- 

 ing the least possible time for changing horses, to twenty miles an hour 

 for eleven hours, and on the turnpike-road and uneyen ground, 



Mr. Shaftoe, in 1762, with ten horses, and five of them ridden twice, 



