292 THE HORSE. 



of the old Turf, crossing and jostling, perhaps the most 

 famous example of which, upon record, was the race 

 over the course, by Pyrrhus and Mambrino. Until 

 within some twenty years past, crossing was under- 

 stood in every match, unless specifically interdicted 

 in the article, by the words ' no crossing.'' This rule 

 has been abolished, and the utmost care has been 

 taken by the Jockey Club, to prevent any collision of 

 the kind ; as it has been made obligatory on the 

 jockies in a race, not to change their ground within 

 three lengths one of the other, whether leading or 

 following ; and in every match, they toss up at the 

 starting post, for the whip hand ; thus the former 

 practice in the case is completely reversed, since now, 

 should a crossing match be made, it could not be run 

 without its being declared such before starting ; in 

 short, every thing in our general system, which 

 regards the training and racing the horses, is con- 

 ducted upon the most liberal, considerate, and fair 

 principles, with one only exception, that of the ex- 

 treme severity used towards the racers at the run in. 

 I have often heard and read of a comparison between 

 the racers of past and present times. It did not 

 originate with me. Now to bring it to a point, can 

 either Zinganee, Cadland, or Mameluke, or a better 

 horse than either, if a better can be found, run a 

 mile at Newmarket, with eight stone seven pounds, 

 in one minute four seconds and a half, or over the 

 Beacon Course with the same weight, in seven 

 minutes twenty seconds? These performances actu- 

 ally took place, and the horses which were timed to 

 them, were afterwards beat against their will, and as 



