88 TRYING PRETENSIONS FOR THE DERBY. 



or failing in the system, while there are many things 

 in its favour. 



We will say we send our colt at Derby weight, 

 Derby length, and (as nearly as we can pick out a 

 trial-ground to resemble it) over a Derby course : the 

 jockey, or head lad if his head is equal to it, is told to 

 make the best possible running he can all the way 

 without upsetting his colt : if a free goer, he had 

 better go alone ; if not, a hack may lead him off the 

 first half mile, and a good four or five-year old join 

 in and run home by his side, of course letting the 

 young one find himself first at the finish. We will 

 now look at our time : the colt has not of course been 

 put to his very best, though pretty near it. If we find 

 the length has been done at close upon, if not quite, 

 the quickest Derby time, we have proved beyond 

 doubt we have a very speedy and very stout colt a 

 much more certain proof than if in the trial he had 

 beat the horse that won the Derby last year, though 

 he would be giving him the year, for the other might 

 have gone off, but the time is safe to tell a true tale. 

 Having thus proved our colt a game, stout, and speedy 

 one, in short, a trump card we may shortly after 

 try his qualifications as to finishing a race. This is 

 easily done in the usual way, by running the race in 

 fair usual time, and letting him finish with a known 

 horse : if we find his speed is such as to quite satisfy 

 us as to his finish, it will remain with the trainer, the 

 jockey, and in some eases the owner, to determine how 

 they think the most may be made of the colt. If it 

 is found that his speed, on being called upon, is not so 

 superior as his running on, then, from the trial we 

 have had, our orders, I should say, may be short 

 enough (the jockey acting up to them as nearly as he 



