COMMON'S RETIREMENT 133 



He was perfectly sound, and, although he had rilled 

 out and ' furnished ' considerably, there was room 

 for further improvement. Porter has no doubt that 

 if he had been kept in training he would have 

 proved himself one of the greatest Cup horses of 

 modern times. He was above the average of Derby 

 and St. Leger winners. Generally it is to be 

 regretted that such horses are not trained on. 

 Owners should not be so keen on selling them, 

 instead of running them through their career. It 

 is scarcely fair to the trainer. At any rate, there is 

 not much encouragement for one who, after de- 

 veloping the good qualities of a horse, especially of 

 a horse which in the beginning has been most 

 difficult to train, to have the animal taken away 

 from his schoolmaster when he is in a condition to 

 be made fit to eclipse all his previous exploits. It 

 is admitted, of course, that, with the fees for service 

 so high, it is more surely profitable to put a horse 

 like Common to the stud at the end of his three- 

 year-old engagements than to keep him running 

 on. But, nevertheless, Common's incomplete racing 

 record is to be regretted. Porter anticipates a dis- 

 tinguished history for him at the stud, he is so 

 stoutly bred on both sides. His family will no 

 doubt both race and stay. 



