ENGLISH AND AMERICAN YIEWS 



OF THB 



PAST AJSTD PRESENT CONDITION OF THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 



PRESENT SPEED OF THE EACEHOKSE. 

 Frmn, Stonehenge. 



By an examination of the racing time-tables as recorded of 

 late years, it will be seen that from 13i to 14 seconds per furlong 

 is the highest rate of speed attained in any of our races, above 

 a mile, and with 8 st. Y lbs. carried by three-year-old horses. In 

 1846, Surplice and Cymba won the Derby and Oaks, each run- 

 ning the distance in 2m. 48s., or exactly 14 seconds per furlong. 

 This rate has never since that time been reached ; the Flying 

 Dutchman having, however, nearly attained it, but failing by 

 two seconds — making his rate 14 seconds and one sixth per fur- 

 long. But the most extraordinary three-year-old performance 

 is that of Sir Tatton Sykes over the St. Leger Course, 1 mile, 6 

 furlongs, and 132 yards in length, which he ran in 3 minutes 

 and 16 seconds, or at a rate of as nearly as possible 13i seconds 

 per furlong. With an additional year and the same weight, this 

 speed has been slightly exceeded by West Australian, even over 

 a longer course, as at Ascot in 1854, when he defeated Kingston 

 by a head only ; running two miles and four furlongs in 4m. 

 and 278., or as nearly as possible at the rate of 13i seconds and 

 one-third per furlong. This performance is the best in modern 

 days, considering the weight, the age, and the distance ; and it 



