158 THE TURF 



eased. The breadth of the Newmarket courses is 

 a great advantage, as horses have plenty of room, 

 and with moderate luck and judgment a jockey should 

 never be shut in ; though not lonor since in a match 

 one of the horses was disqualified for bumping. Before 

 the stands were erected, a great many visitors to New- 

 market did their racing on horseback, and not a few 

 ofentlemen and trainers have their hacks there at 

 present. When races finish, as they do on some 

 days, at several of the different winning posts, a 

 good deal of exercise is involved in getting about, 

 and a hack is a great convenience. The Round 

 Course is now little more than a name. It extended 

 over 3 miles 4 furlongs 138 yards. The " Ditch In," 

 2 miles 118 yards from the running gap (a cutting 

 through the " ditch ") to the end of the Beacon Course, 

 is also seldom used, but one or two races are still run 

 over the Two Middle Miles, a course in reality 

 17 yards short of its nominal distance. 



The Epsom Course is one of the worst in the 

 country by reason of the very awkward turn at 

 Tattenham corner. This was not long since to some 

 extent modified, but it is still extremely dangerous, 

 and on rounding it the jockey finds himself at the 

 top of a steep hill, dashing down which must be 

 something of a trial to the nerves if they are not of the 

 best. The Derby Course is much in the form of a 

 horseshoe, the first part of it being on the ascent ; and 

 though, certainly, riders do not seem to ease at all in 



