FALLIBILITY OF LOOKS. 123 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE PURCHASE OF YEARLINGS, 



Difficulties of judgment — Fallibility of good looks — Hints on buying : attendance 

 on sales ; opportunities at Doncaster ; necessity to try paces before purchase — 

 Failures of high-priced yearlings : Maximilian and others ; exceptional case 

 of Promised Land — Instances of successes of low-priced yearlings: Brigan- 

 tine, Schism, Blue Rock — ^Judges of yearlings and their reputation ; Lord 

 George Bentinck, my father, and Mendicant ; her performances as a race- 

 horse and her appearance as a yearling — Instances of yearlings rejected as 

 undersized : Sweetmeat, Venison, Joe Miller, Miisjid — A high-priced failure : 

 Clenlivat — Prices in past and present times contrasted : absurdity of prices 

 now given at public auctions; contrary examples of out-turn of reasonably- 

 priced stock; Mr. J. B. Starkey's purchase of Viridis ; my purchase of 

 ElcJio for Mr. Gerard Sturt and his achievements — Fashion and its influence : 

 how yearlings are bred to be sold, and how they should be bought — Value of 

 blood ; produce of old mares often good : examples, Crucifix and Caractacus 

 — Predilection for fat yearlings, and resulting disappointment to owner and 

 trainer — My preference for light yearlings ; where such may be bought, and 

 instances : Starter, Judge, and Steward — Progress of light and big yearlings 

 contrasted ; prevalence of sore shins with the latter — Excellent result of Sir 

 Tatton Sykes's method of breeding ; rarity of disease amongst his stock ; 

 their successes and instances — Points that should be looked for — Reason of 

 Sir Tatton's successes ; " like begets like " — His disposal of colts and fillies ; 

 account of a visit to Sledmere and purchase of Palmistry — Private and 

 public breeding-studs contrasted, and reasons for the successes of the former — 

 Results of paying high prices, and examples — An unfashionably-bred winner : 

 ^^j/^^_Horses run in all shapes — Inferences to be drawn ; the best yearlings to 

 buy — Engagements of yearlings : hints and arguments ; current errors ; early 

 trials recommended, and reasons — Dictum of the Marquess of Anglesey. 



The subject I have chosen for this chapter is one of great 

 difficulty. Perhaps in racing nothing is attended with more 

 trouble and less satisfaction than the purchase of yearlings. 



