THE TRIAL OF THE TWO-YEAR-OLD. 151 



which age they would not have them run. Others, again, 

 think that two years old is the best age. Yet, I think, 

 after what has been shown here, that there can be no 

 valid objection to trial as yearlings, or to the adoption 

 of my principle ; which is : — Try early, and discard the 

 animals that are found wanting, keeping only those that 

 show actual merit, and those that, having breeding, sound- 

 ness, and size to recommend them, give promise of im- 

 provement with age. 



And so with the trial of the two-year-old : as the half- 

 mile is recommended for the yearling, I advocate a 

 longer distance for the older horse. If the two-year-old 

 that stays the half-mile, as I have said many can do but 

 no more, had after or before winning in public at that 

 distance been tried three-quarters of a mile, his non-staying 

 powers would have been discovered, and much useless 

 expenditure of money saved, by not engaging him in a 

 host of races beyond that distance, no one of which he would 

 have the ghost of a chance of winning. 



Furthermore, if I wished to try a good two-year-old 

 early in the spring, I should ask him to beat a first-class 

 speedy three-year-old, five furlongs at two stone, and in 

 the autumn, three-quarters of a mile at sixteen or eighteen 

 pounds ; and if the young one won, I should expect, and 

 most likely find, I had a good horse. I know Lady Elisa- 

 beth beat jf 11 litis ten pounds, and I also remember ViilUire 

 gave Grey Moniiis two stone and beat him in a canter 

 in the autumn, and the next year he won the Two 

 Thousand and other races. One Act, the week before 

 Sultan won the Cambridgeshire, could beat him that dis- 

 tance at twenty-two pounds, and most likely would have 

 done so six furlongs at eighteen pounds : and though 



