4 FLAT-RACING EXPLAINED. 



might have beeu iu the flesh as a race horse, I think, 

 by way of comparison, we may judge him iu point 

 of merit on the record of that superb mller — on a 

 flat course — Victor Wild, and he was only able to do 

 the distance in Im, 39i/4s., and this, too, under the 

 most favorable conditions for securing an accurate 

 test for speed. How Eclipse could have been cred- 

 ited with doing a mile in 39i/^ seconds less time it is 

 impossible to say, but I am quite sure we have had 

 no other horse in this country, during my experi- 

 ence, that could have beaten Victor Wild's time. 



That the time I have given was correct does noi 

 admit of doubt, though I am quite aware that th«i 

 times of races as we often see them in print are not 

 always to be relied upon. Therefore, when we iind 

 it stated that Eclipse did a mile in the short spact^ of 

 00 seconds, it is incorrect on the fact of it, or Victor 

 Wild would comparatively have been only a very 

 moderate horse at his best. 



As I have said, it is a question if a higher point of 

 excellence can be attained in our thoroughbreds, i 

 think I might also couple with it the question 

 whether a "higher point" is iCally desirable. How 

 ever, our breeders' answer is in the aflarmative, and 

 by the aid of "scientific breeding" we may await 

 results in the future which will be a surprise to us, if 

 all we are told is true. Of what is called "scientific 



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