EFFECTS OF DEEP GROUND. 177 



may account for his many defeats on hard ground when 

 success seemed certain. 



It is very Hkely, indeed, that the truly wonderful improve- 

 ment some horses make running across country over their 

 previous performances on the flat, may in a great measure 

 be assigned to the state of the ground ; the summer racing 

 being mostly over dry ground, and the winter or steeple- 

 chasing over wet. Emhleni and Emblematic were not good 

 enough to keep in training over flat courses, and were 

 certainly non-stayers wdien thus run ; yet, four miles over 

 the heaviest ground in the kingdom they were winners of the 

 Grand National Steeple-chase at Liverpool, though at the 

 time they ran, respectively, neither looked strong enough to 

 carry a saddle over such a course, let alone the rider. How- 

 ever they did, and beat the bulk of the finest, and strongest, 

 and best horses of the day. Indeed we have direct proof 

 that many of the speediest horses on the flat, which in racing 

 could not stay a mile, some of them not half the distance, 

 have stayed in steeple-chases, getting well over their four 

 miles across country. It is surprising to see these little 

 weeds with heavy weights on them, beating all the best 

 weight-carrying horses that can be found, under circum- 

 stances seemingly so favourable to the latter — literally 

 running through mud. 



Again, we see thorough-bred horses that stay well on the 

 flat, and seem the most likely to make good steeple-chasers, 

 turn out the very w^orst. Joco, the slowest and very gamest 

 horse I think I ever trained, winner of the Metropolitan and 

 other races over long courses and dry ground, and strong 

 enough to carry tw^enty stone to hounds, was the worst across 

 country. He w^as sold to Mr. Heathcote for a steeple-chaser; 

 but was found whilst schooling so inactive and lost so much 



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