NEWJMARKET 61 



due course to breed more roarers. On the Continent 

 breeders are far more particular about roaring than we are 

 in England, and the many buyers we have from France, 

 Germany, Austria, Hungary and Russia would sooner go 

 back without a horse at all than take one from England 

 that was unsound in his wind. In the South American 

 States they are not so particular. 



Recently the Stewards of the Jockey Club have made 

 some attempts to set their house in order, and while Lord 

 Durham was in office certain new rules were agreed upon, 

 despite considerable opposition. Briefly, these provided for 

 an increased number of longer races, for a decrease in the 

 number of five-furlong events open to old horses, and for 

 a curtailment of the value of early two-year-old prizes. It 

 was finally decided that on each day's programme there 

 should be two races of a mile and upwards of the minimum 

 aggregate distance of two miles and a half, and that no 

 more than ;^200 should be added to any two-year-old race 

 before the ist of June. This is all very well as far as it 

 goes, but in my opinion it hardly goes far enough, and 

 especially do I think that three-year-olds and upwards 

 should never run less than six furlongs. 



With perhaps the exception of the Fern Hill Stakes at 

 Ascot, we could do without all the five-furlong races that are 

 now run, saving those which are for two-year-olds only, but 

 I imagine that the reform has begun to a large extent at the 

 other end, and that more long races will be gradually in- 

 sisted upon. Newmarket possesses the grandest course 

 in the world for long-distance racing, and to Newmarket we 

 look to set the example by giving some of its best prizes 

 for races of two miles and upwards. I think there should 

 be a two-mile handicap at each of the eight meetings held 

 on the heath, and I say handicap advisedly, because weight- 

 for-age races seldom bring out a good field. Even with 

 penalties and allowances, such races, when the time for 

 running them arrives, are often at the mercy of one horse, 

 or of one of two or three horses, and the unwelcome " walk 

 over" too often takes place. Count Schomberg, to quote 

 a notable instance, was allowed to " walk over " for the 



