l6 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



Of course, in making these comparisons much will depend 

 upon the credit attaching to the old records. About 1721 

 Flying or Devonshire Childers is said to have run a trial over 

 the Round Course (3 miles, 4 furlongs, 93 yards) at Newmarket, 

 in 6 mins. 41 sees., that is to say, at an average rate of speed 

 of i min. 50 sees, for a mile, though he was carrying 9 stone 

 2lbs. On a subsequent occasion Childers is said, when 

 carrying the same weight, to have run the Beacon Course 

 (4 miles, i furlong, 138 yards) in 7 mins. 30 sees. In this 

 instance we find that each mile took Childers less time to 

 cover than when he was running the shorter course, for the 

 average over the four miles is no more than i min. 47 sees. 

 and a fraction of a second for each mile. 



Matchem is credited with having even surpassed this per- 

 formance, the report being that he ran the Beacon Course 

 in 7 mins. 20 sees., or a mile in i min. 44 sees. ; but then his 

 weight was 8 stone 7lbs. instead of 9 stone 2lbs. 



Now if these times be compared with those of more modern 

 horses over shorter courses, it will be to the disadvantage of 

 the moderns, as the following figures will show, and a few of 

 the best times have been selected as given in Ruff : 



In 1846, the first year in which the time is given in Ruff,. 

 Pyrrhus I. won the Derby in 2 min. 55 sees. ; and if we take 

 the Derby Course at a mile and a half, Pyrrhus I. ran at the 

 rate of a mile in i min. 56! sees. The average of the Flying 

 Dutchman (1849), Daniel O'Rourke (1852), and Ellington 

 (1856), in still slower, as they took 3min. ; 3 min. 2 sees. ; and 

 3 min. 4 sees, respectively to get over the mile and a-half. 

 Kettledrum, Blair Athol, Merry Hampton, and Ayrshire 

 show better time, as they covered the distance in 2 min. 43 

 sees., that is to say, at an average rate of speed of i min. 48! 

 sees, for a mile. 



The St. Leger Course is given in Ruff as i mile, 6 furlongs, 

 and 132 yards; and in 1888 Seabreeze's time, the fastest on 

 record, was 3 min. nf sees., which gives an average of i min. 

 45i sees. 



