no 



BREEDING. 



tion, with ready proof, tliat no horses in the world can be compared to 

 them. On the authority of Abd-el-Kader and my Indian friends, the race 

 of Zad-el-Rakeb, the gift of Solomon to the tribe of Azed, has not de- 

 o-enerated since 1720, when the calibre of the English race-horse Avas 

 probably on a par with the Barbs which now adorn the Gibraltar meeting. 

 Admit this fact, and it is patent to every racing man that the best of 

 these "divine horses" which, according to Eastern history, descended as a 

 heavenly gift from Adam to Ishmael, Ishmael to Solomon, from Solomon 

 to Mahomet, and from Mahomet to our own times, cannot compete with 

 the Anglo- Arabian at a difference of five stone ; a thoroughbred butcher's 

 hack will beat the Flower of the Desert any distance under 100 miles. 

 If there is a depreciation, Avhy ascribe it to the abolition of heavy weights, 

 or to the substitution of shorter courses ? The natural solution would be 

 that it is owing to the sale of our most valuable stock to every country in 

 Europe, to China, to Australia, New Zealand. But we have enough left 

 to challenge all the Avorld. In 1843, the total amount of stakes, plates, 

 and matches, was 199,000Z. ; in 1863, it was above 250,000?., without in- 

 cluding the royal plates. The deterioration of horses is a pure fiction. 

 Stockwell, King Tom, Young Melbourne (Nabob, sold to France), and 

 many other stallions are framed to gallop under twenty stone ; the first 

 charges 100/., King Tom 75/., next season for the chance of a foal. You 

 may see in Lord Glasgow's and Baron Rothschild's stables, twenty horses 

 up to eighteen stone ; sixty years ago you could not have foand five 

 thoroughbred horses of this description in the United Kingdom. Fine 

 yearling colts fetch at auction from 450 to 800 guineas, if they appear 

 likely to stay a distance and to carry heavy weights. That ought to be a 

 sufficient answer to those persons Avho imagine that light weights and 

 short courses are detrimental to the breed, and encourage " leggy Aveeds." 

 The following table of the leng-th of the different courses at Newmarket 

 will give some general idea of the distance usually required to be run 



of B.C.) 



(from the turn of the 

 t of th(^ T. y. C. to 



NEWMARKET. 



The Beacon Course 



Romid Course 



Summer Course (last 2 miles of E. C.) 



Last three miles of B. C . 



Ditch in (from the running-gap to the end 



The last mile and a distance of B. C. 



Ancaster Mile (last mile straight) 



Criterion, Rutland, and Granby Courses 



Lands in) . 



Audley End Course (from the starting-po 



end of B.C.) . 

 Across the Flat ... 

 Rowley Mile (last mile of A. F.) . 

 Ditch Mile (first mile of A. F.) . 

 Abingdon JNIile (on the Flat) 

 First half of Ab. M. 

 Last half of Ab. M. 

 Two middle miles of B. C. 

 Last mile and a half of T. M. M. 

 Two Year Old Course (on the Flat) 

 New Two Year Old Course (on the B. M. 

 Last half mile of New T. Y C. . 

 Yearling Course (on the Flat) 

 Yearling Course (from starting-post of 



winning-post of D. M.) 

 Bunbury Mile (a straight mile, finishing at the end of R 

 Chesterfield Course (last half of B. M.) 

 Bretby Stakes Course (last six fur. of R. M.) 



mi. fur. 



4 1 



3 4 



2 



3 



yds. 



173 



139 







74 

 119 

 240 



18 



5 182 



last half Ab. 



M. to 

 .C.) 



2 



7 



3 



6 



56 



73 



17 



210 



212 



215 



217 



158 



29 



140 



13f5 







138 



196 



212 







