270 THE HORSE. 



racers too lofty, too high upon the leg, and conse- 

 quently, with too little regard to substance. Ob- 

 servator, in the Sporting Magazine, that keen observer, 

 amusing and honest writer (I do not give his real name, 

 as he has chosen not to name) is annually reminding 

 us of the vast numbers of mere leather platers brought 

 to the post at Newmarket. Nor can I suppose, that 

 the racers from thirty years past, or of the present 

 day, will enjoy that rank with posterity, acquired by 

 those of former eras : Sir Charles Bunbury, a far 

 more experienced judge, used to laugh at me for 

 these notions, and would have it that, his Sorcerer 

 and Smolensko were equal over the course, to Gold- 

 finder, Shark, Mambrino, Highflyer, or the best of that 

 splendid list of former days. Dr. Syntax reminded 

 me of Old Damper, not indeed in the regard of form 

 and beauty, but of their similar success in winning 

 country plates. 



Perhaps the desuetude of the custom for horses to 

 cover whilst in training is not warranted by any solid 

 objections. The sooner the quality of a racer's stock 

 is known surely the better. The old Vintner mare 

 was taken into training from the breeding stud and 

 was never beat. Hobgoblin was trained after having 

 covered two years. Babram won several plates dur- 

 ing a season in which he served fifty-three mares. 

 In those days and afterwards the custom was not in- 

 frequent. Dorimant covered a mare or two before lie 

 was out of training. It has not been explained to 

 me that, the practice in moderation could interfere 

 injuriously, with the racing powers of a quiet horse; 

 but the experiment, I understand, has only been made 

 in one or two instances within the last thirty years. 



