TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS 247 



before winning the Prince's Handicap at the Gatwick Spring 

 Meeting of 1898. He also ran second in the Ascot Gold 

 Cup, 



In Yorkshire just now there are some half-dozen training 

 quarters — Malton, Middleham, Richmond, Hambleton, 

 Beverley, and Pontefract to wit — and in addition Mr. Vyner 

 has a private training ground on the Newby Park Estate, 

 near Ripon. Malton and Middleham take the highest rank, 

 but so much of Langton Wold (the Malton training ground) 

 has been enclosed of late years that Middleham is now the 

 better place of the two ; and yet neither of them holds its 

 own with Newmarket or the best of the Berkshire, Wiltshire, 

 and Hampshire downs. Indeed, at both Malton and 

 Middleham one is inclined to think more of the past than 

 the present, and unless North -country breeders once more 

 have their horses trained in their own neighbourhood, I see 

 no great future before either place. At present there are half 

 a dozen stables at Malton, sheltering some one hundred and 

 thirty horses, and by far the largest establishment is High- 

 field House, where William I'Anson (the son of the owner 

 and trainer of Blair Athol and Blink Bonny) for many 

 years presided over the destinies of about fifty thorough- 

 breds. He has lately decreased his stable considerably. 

 Highfield House has been lately rebuilt, and the training is 

 now all done at home, I'Anson having ceased for some 

 years to use Langton Wold. Those who have been present 

 at Malton Steeplechases will know the Highfield private 

 training ground, as the steeplechase course is laid out in 

 the same fields. The gallops are very good, and are varied 

 in constitution, there being a long, straight uphill finish as 

 well as a circular track. The going is more like what one 

 finds in a well-kept modern enclosure than the usual down- 

 land going, and there is a wide tan gallop parallel with the 

 grass, so that if the latter becomes too hard the horses can 

 have the advantage of a soft track. 



In Northern racing Highfield House has played a bold 

 part ever since William I'Anson succeeded his father, and 

 scores of good horses have been trained there. The unfor- 

 tunate Beauclerc, who won the Middle Park Plate, but who 



