THE TRIAL OF YEARLINGS. 



149 



CHAPTER XVI. 



TRIALS {contimied). 



How yearlings should be tried, and instances : Parole and Crucifix — Schism'' s per- 

 formance as a yearling — Early trials recommended — The best method of 

 trying the two-year-old, and examples — The trial of older horses — Private 

 trials and public form ; uncertainty of the latter exemplified in the case of 

 Promised Land, Europa, and others — Trials proving ultimately more trust- 

 worthy than public form, and instances : Cossack and Hermit — Defeats 

 accounted for; instanced in the running of Fishermati, and mistakes of jockeys 

 — The "case of Lady 'Elizabeth and her detractors discussed ; the mystery 

 accounted for ; analogous cases : Green Sleeves, Margregor, Games, and 

 others. 



It will be seen from what has gone before that I am 

 an advocate of early trials. I have already observed that 

 some horses as yearlings stay well three furlongs, but never 

 get beyond that distance ; and that some horses stay the 

 half-mile as two-year-olds, but do not later improve upon 

 this performance — facts that should be an important 

 guide. 



Thus, with yearlings, try half a mile, and you Avill be 

 able without additional risk or expense to know more of 

 their real merits, and be a better judge of what they are 

 likely to be, than if you tried them only three furlongs. 

 Parole I tried this distance only, and paid dearly for my 

 first departure from an old-established and excellent rule. 

 She won easily, but could never get beyond that distance ; 

 though she won a little race at Brighton and was claimed, 

 and I think never won after. 



