324 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



first day ; and won a Selling Stake the following 

 day, three heats, one and a half miles each, and 

 she appeared no worse for it at all. I don't know 

 how it is horses are knocked up so soon 

 nowadays. 



" Have they not got the same substance and 

 stamina ? 



" I don't know, I can't account for it. 



" Are they not so well fed ? 



"I think in the present day they are better 

 fed from being young horses. They are more 

 forced as young horses than they were some years 

 ago. Of course they are not better ' done.' I 

 don't assert that we had better horses in my 

 younger days ; but it is certain they don't stand 

 so much knocking about as formerly. I should 

 think it is very likely horses have better speed 

 in the present day, though it's very hard to 

 judge of that. 



" I remember Archer riding as a boy. He 

 always rode with dash, but he was rather in a 

 hurry to get home. However, with experience, 

 he got the better of that. He was a good horse- 

 man. He rode rather ' long ' in his stirrups ; he 

 was a long fellow, and was very quick in getting 

 away from the mark. 



" Do you remember any tremendous finishes 

 you had with Archer? 



" We had two close finishes at Goodwood one 

 year. I rode Privateer, and he rode Passaic. 

 Both races were run at the same Goodwood 

 Meeting. Privateer won both times. We had 

 another fine set-to at Liverpool. Archer rode 

 Voluptuary and I was on Ishmael, and he just 



