LINES OF BLOOD 333 



the line, and if Morion has been a disappointment so far 

 Wolf's Crag has begun excellently, and such as Sir Visto, 

 Marco, and The Rush will shortly be heard of. As a rule 

 the Barcaldines are stayers ; such as Morion and The Rush 

 certainly were ; and though Sir Visto did not attempt a 

 Cup course he relished the St. Leger distance. Barcaldine 

 in all probability never got one so good as himself, but 

 I imagine he has done enough to perpetuate the West 

 Australian line of Matchem, and most certainly he has 

 rescued it from comparative oblivion. 



Why it is that about five-sixths of the best horses in 

 training are descended from one of the three great lines, 

 and that the other two should be credited with about one- 

 sixth of the aggregate of races between them, is a mystery. 

 The problem has puzzled many heads, and I have never 

 heard of any solution which was really feasible. The blood 

 of the Godolphin and of the Byerly Turk is to be found, 

 sometimes in great quantities, in every living thoroughbred, 

 but as far as the line of direct tail male is concerned the 

 Darley Arabian has for a long time carried all before it, 

 and according to present indications will continue to do 

 so in years to come. 



