200 ON RUNNING HORSES 



in Auguft 1753, in a race rode by gentlemen; 

 when at ftarting for the fecond heal, Mr. Quin's 

 horfe I'eized another gentleman's mare by the 

 leg, and both riders were obhged to difmount, 

 in order to force the horfe to quit his hold, 

 whilft their competitors were running ; they 

 with difficulty faved their diftance. 



Much lofs has often accrued from a ground- 

 lefs and whimfical attachment to favourite 

 blood, and favourite ftallions ; alfo to continu-^ 

 ing a (low horfe in training year after year, 

 when every race is but a new proof, that no- 

 thing, fave a miracle, or at leaft an extraordi- 

 nary accident, can pofiibly bring him in firft 

 and firft. The old Northern grooms would in- 

 fift, that any produce of Blaze muft race, al- 

 though out of a cart-mare. The late Lord Mar- 

 quis of Rockingham was faid to have been a 

 confiderable lofer by training fo many of the 

 Sampfons, although, upoa a reference to the 

 Calendar, he certainly appears to have had a 

 confiderable number of winners, and one or two 

 capital horfes of that blood. Poor Mr. Jennings 

 was ftrangely attached to that worthlefs Barbary 

 Crab, Chillaby ; and I have often heard the 

 grooms ridicule his anxious folicitude, in timing 

 over the courfe, ftop-watch in hand, his favour- 

 ite Rabicano, which a good poft hack would 

 have beaten ; at the fame time he poffefled a real 

 racer^ Count, by which he fat no flore : but the 



beft 



