CORRECT TRIALS REVERSED IN PUBLIC. 153 



To show how often pubhc running is incorrect, if not 

 actually monstrous, I will comment upon certain examples ; 

 but first, however, will state that I have seen very many 

 instances of horses that have been well and properly tried, 

 being backed on their first appearance in public, and winning. 



Promised Land, at Goodwood, beat a horse that before 

 had not been beaten, and the latter {North Lincohi) was 

 most certainly, at the distance, the best horse of his year. 

 This would seem a contradiction, were it not added that 

 he was conceding five pounds (for previous victories) to his 

 conqueror. Lord of the Lsles did a similar thing, at the 

 same place, by winning the Molecombe Stakes ; as did 

 also Banditto, who after being beaten at Ascot, in his turn 

 defeated Europa, who until that time, like North Lincoln, 

 had been without an equal, I think that on this race there 

 was more betting than I ever remember on any race of 

 the kind before or since : the patrons of the Danebury 

 stables relying on public form, on which Enropa was a 

 long way ahead of her opponents ; whilst we based our 

 assumptions solely on private trials, which led us to believe 

 the Ascot running was all wrong, and the form of our horse 

 better than that publicly shown by Enropa. The accuracy 

 of our conclusion was proved to the very letter by the 

 result. 



Wild Dayrell may also be quoted in confirmation of the 

 truth that trials, when carefully carried out, are the safest 

 guides. For he won the first time he ran at Newmarket, and 

 the following year he won the Derby. 



To these could be added endless instances of the trust- 

 worthiness of home trials, verified by the performances of 

 the same horses in their public races : but let those already 

 given suffice ; and let us turn to the other side of the picture, 



