AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 427 



Kisber across to us, can be counted on the fingers of 

 both hands so far as regards the " classics." Long ago 

 the modern Arab was demonstrated to be a fraud. 

 Soon the idea that the Arab never tired was exploded 

 by practical test. Mr. Chaplin and the late Duke of 

 Beaufort repeatedly tried them, and costly experiments 

 they proved to both. Some years ago the late Duke of 

 Beaufort entered an Arabian in the Goodwood Cup, in 

 which he had Hberal weight allowance. The Arabian 

 was to make hacks of the EngUsh horses, and it was 

 resolved that he should gallop them down, the deluded 

 idea being held that he would stay for ever. The Arab 

 soon held a long lead, the English lot treating his 

 "burst" with indifference. Half a mile from home 

 they put on full pressure. The Arab was speedily 

 passed by the whole English lot, and he finished the race 

 tailed off. The Prince of Wales also experimented with 

 one of the Arabs, but, like the Duke of Beaufort and 

 Mr. Chaplin, who, in fact, decHned to allow an Arab to 

 bear his colours, he found it as expensive as it was 

 unproductive of good results. Just as it was some 

 twenty, or thirty, or forty, or even fifty years ago, we 

 read about the deterioration of our own breed of horses. 

 So it was when Parole was brought across in 1879 by 

 Mr. Lorillard. He won two or three races, and the cry 

 was raised, "Now is established beyond doubt the 

 decadence of the English thoroughbred, when an 

 American (by an English sire, be it remembered) beats 

 our own breed." Mr. Lorillard, after spending £40,000, 

 soon found that he could not hold his own long either 

 against the English system or the English horses. Every 

 dog has its day, and every horse-breeding nation is 

 bound at one period or another in its history to produce 

 a clinker, who may stand out by himseK, as was the 



