24 FLAT-RACING EXPLAINED. 



Tively so easily, au<.l then get beaten anyhow iu 

 the St. Leger by nil auimal supposed to have but 

 an indifferent chance? 



Take these as instances only of performances 

 that occur with horses almost dally throughout the 

 season, and what is the an?v,^or to it? 



Can it be alleged that it was caused by the 

 changed conditions in point of weight? The 

 weights were practically the same, so it cannot l>e 

 that. Can it be that the old story — that certain 

 horses have *conie on a bit,* or 'gone back a bit.' 

 or have 'joined the ranks of the currish lot, and 

 won't do their best,' and endless phrases of the 

 kind which ara always made to account for defeat 

 — is true, or does it arise from causes for which 

 no excuses need be vouchsafed ? 



The latter Is the point; no excuses are needed. 

 Any one who applies his mind to a study of these 

 eccentricities in the running of horses should ex- 



V 



perience little diificulty in finding it out. So far, 

 however, I have never heard that auj' one has 

 taken the trouble to do so. 



