1 86 CHASING AND RACING 



that some horses are gifted with a turn of speed which 

 they cannot keep up for more than, say, four furlongs, 

 when fully extended. Consequently they are failures 

 as sprinters, but may blossom into useful customers 

 over long distances, because they are not put to 

 extreme pressure in the early phases of a race, and so 

 have a reserve of speed to finish with. That is why 

 one of the best methods of obtaining smart performers 

 over the sticks is to watch carefully the five-furlong 

 selling races during the " legitimate '* season, and if 

 you see a youngster out by itself at three and a half or 

 four furlongs, but nowhere at the finish, put in a claim 

 and lay your purchase by until the following season, 

 when, if judiciously trained and schooled, it is almost 

 certain to win a hurdle race — of sorts. 



I once ran Trelaske in an all-aged long-distance 

 handicap (selling race) decided at Newmarket over the 

 Caesarewitch course. He ran well, but found one of 

 the younger generation too good for him. I have 

 already chronicled how I won the match with him 

 against George Thursby*s Foghorn, and also how he 

 was just beaten for The Queen's Prize at Kempton. 



Before my horses were dispersed he was sold 

 privately to Wm. Stevens, the trainer, for " a monkey,** 

 but his new owner had no luck with him. 



Trelaske was a kind and amiable creature, but 

 rather nervous. He hated the very sight of the whip. 

 To attempt to get a bit extra out of him by the use of 

 that cruel and superfluous instrument of torture was 



