RACE COURSES 155 



the hardness of the going. The meeting always takes 

 place about the middle of June, when the sun has 

 baked the course, and scarcely a year passes in which 

 some good animals do not permanently injure them- 

 selves by running here. 



But to a great many devotees of the sport there is 

 no place which approaches Newmarket. The whole 

 of Newmarket is practically given up to the horse. 

 Most of the training here is done on what is called 

 the " Bury Side," an expanse of ground including the 

 famous Lime-kilns, on which, as a rule, the going is 

 very good. Even when it is hard on other parts 

 of the Heath, if one passes through the belt of trees 

 which separates the Lime-kilns from the Bury Hill, 

 horses can be freely galloped at almost all times, 

 though elsewhere they have to do their work on the 

 tan tracks which have been laid down, and are utilised 

 by trainers who desire to avoid the jar which would 

 be caused by the hard ground. What is called the 

 " Race Course Side " is also busy in the morning, 

 however. Most of the races take place on some 

 portion of the Rowley Mile, though not all of them 

 finish at what may be called the principal winning 

 post, opposite to the stand. There are three other 

 winning posts on this portion of the course. First 

 comes the Abingdon Mile. This post is situated at 

 the bottom of a descent, so that the course is suitable 

 for speedy horses with little staying power, as they 

 have not to climb up the rise to the Rowley Mile 



