RACE COURSES 159 



coming" round the corner, it is evident that they must 

 do so, because the Derby time is invariably rather 

 slow. The Bell stands at the bottom of the hill ; from 

 there to the winning- post is a slight rise, but its 

 distance is short, and thus horses that cannot come 

 down hill have naturally a bad chance at Epsom, 

 though it may be noted that to judge from a horse's 

 formation whether he can come down hill or not is apt 

 to lead the observer into error. Those who remem- 

 ber Bay Middleton declare that he was as upright as 

 a walking stick, but he came down the hill in perfect 

 style when he won the Derby. 



Goodwood, one of the best and most picturesque 

 courses in the country, is some five miles from 

 Chichester on the borders of the Duke of Richmond's 

 park. The swelling Downs, with the Solent beyond, 

 make a beautiful view from the stands ; and for some 

 reason or other, though the meeting is held on the 

 last days of July or the first days of August, the going 

 never seems to be very hard. The courses are very 

 varied in character, the long distance races being run 

 round a hill called " the Clump." Doncaster is a 

 circular course, nearly fiat, i mile 7 furlongs 92 yards 

 round ; there is a turn into the straight — for when a 

 course is spoken of as circular it must not be under- 

 stood that it bears anything like a close resemblance 

 to a circle — but it is a long way from home, and 

 trouble in the nature of josding seldom happens there, 

 though in Memoir's St. Leger there was a scrimmage 



