40 THE TURF 



the Houghton Meeting in 1875, and speedily shared 

 the success of the race which makes so interesting a 

 feature in the Second October. The Middle Park 

 Plate is worth between ^2,000 and ^3,000, the 

 Dewhurst about ^1,000 less, but the lists of winners 

 are of nearly equal merit, and on several occasions 

 both races have been won by the same horse — 

 Chamant (1876), Friar's Balsam (1887), Donovan 

 (1888), Orme (1891), and St. Frusquin (1895). 

 Another noteworthy race at the Houghton Meeting is 

 the Criterion Stakes, first run for in 1829. This is a 

 good test of staying ability, for it finishes up the Cri- 

 terion Hill at "the top of the town," a severe six 

 furlongs. It has fallen to horses of very various 

 capacity, to very bad ones, such as Oakdene, Aureus 

 and Cayenne, and to Jannette, winner of the St. Leger ; 

 Thebais, winner of the Oaks ; Bruce, who would have 

 won the Derby had he been properly ridden, and who 

 did win the Grand Prix ; to Melton, Ormonde and 

 others of high standing. 



Two-year-olds are not permitted by the rules of 

 racing to run a longer distance than six furlongs before 

 the ist of July ; and until the ist of September they 

 always run at weight for age, with or without penalties 

 or allowances, according to the nature of the race ' 

 but on the ist of September " Nurseries," or two-year- 

 old handicaps, are allowed, and restrictions as to 

 distance are removed ; indeed, in the Houghton Meet- 

 ing there is a Feather Plate over the trying Cesare- 



