EfFECT OF Short Races on Soundness. 71 



The Times, dated 5tli of November, 1S73, expresses himself very plainly on the evils of five 

 and six furlong races : — 



" The short races which now-a-days prevail have a far greater influence for evil, in my 

 opinion, on the breed of horses than the mischievous practice of running two-year-olds early 

 in the year. I brought forward a motion at a recent meeting of the Jockey Club to the 

 effect that there should be no more races for three-year-olds and upwards of a sliorter distance 

 than one mile, but it was negatived by a large majority. 



"The number of short races is increasing, for I find that in 1871, out of 1,253 races 

 646 were under the distance of one mile ; in 1872, out of 1,269 races, 741 were under a mile. 

 I have not included two-year-old races in this calculation, which I believe to be a correct one. 

 We all agree that soundness of wind and limb is the most important element in the constitu- 

 tion of the horse. It is generally admitted that roaring is a hereditary disease, and it is an 

 equally well-known fact that roarers can win over short courses ; therefore, the scurry races, of 

 which I complain, may be regarded as a premium for unsound horses. Admiral Rous, in a 

 letter which he published a short time ago in The Times, said ' The breed of horses of which 

 we are so proud will eventually be beaten by the French;' and states as his reason for 

 thinking so that ' Frenchmen reject roarers and infirm legs.' Can that be a matter of surprise' 

 when it is recollected that in France there are no races under a mile, and, in consequence, 

 there is no occupation for roarers and cripples .-' At many of the horse shows I am in the 

 habit of seeing stallions that I know to be roarers, but they have acquired — thanks to the 

 sliort races — a reputation on the turf, and their services at the stud are sought by breeders. 



" There is plenty of evidence to show that the disease of roaring has been more frequently 

 met with of late years, and we find that the number of short races is increasing. Layers of 

 odds and owners of bad horses are fond of short races ; the general racing public dislike them : 

 and I believe that if they were done away with altogether there would be a very perceptible 

 decrease in the number of roarers bred in years to come." 



Since Lord Coventry published this letter the evil has rather increased than decreased, 

 because racing every year falls more and more under the control of professional bookmakers. 



THE RACE-HORSE AS A STALLION. 



The character of a thorough-bred stallion is as delicate a matter as the credit of a bank 

 or the reputation of a woman ; and, like a beauty's charms, it is constantly threatened by 

 young rivals rising every season. It is, therefore, as well not to mention living celebrities, 

 either to condemn or praise, especially the latter, as a few years have seen the idols of one 

 year utterly discredited by the unfortunate racing results of their produce. 



Such examples may be found in the careers of Stockwell and his rival (as a sire) West 

 Australian, two of the most popular race-horses the English turf ever produced — both dead, 

 the one at twenty and the other at twenty-one years of age. 



Stockwell's pedigree may be traced not so directly from sire to son as Touchstone, who 

 was the sire of Orlando and the grandsire of Teddington, but he was of the Eclipse blood, 

 thus : — 



Foaled 1849. By the Baron out of Pocahontas by Glencoe ; out of Marpessa by Muley. 

 out of Clare by Marmion, out of Harpalice by Johanna, out of Amazon by Driver, 

 out of Fractious by Mercury, her dam by Woodpecker, out of Everlasting by Eclipse. 



In 1S52 Stockwell won the Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket, was first favourite for 



