34 FLAT-RAGING EXPLAINED. 



it he was entered idcI ran for the Ascot Cup of two 

 and a half miles in 1896 Tliere was certainly, il 

 must be said, some good reaso)i for running the 

 horse on the Ascot gradients, for two years previous- 

 ly, viz.. in 1894, he had won thi Koyal Hunt Cup. 



It was clear, however, Victor Wild was seen to 

 tlie best advantage at a mile and on a perfectly fial 

 course; and, as his speed was extraordinary, it could 

 not be expected he would be able to cover two and 

 a half miles, unless pulled up to reinflate his lungs 

 at the end of each mile, or, say, seven and a half 

 furlongs. Had this been done in the manner I have 

 described, there is little doubt AHctor Wild would 

 have done the last five furlongs at his usual rate of 

 speed, and without showing any signs of being over- 

 done. 



Whilst 99 horses out of every 100 must needs be 

 placed exactly on the character of ground adapted 

 to their requirements, there is even an exception to 

 this supposed rule. This refers to what I may call 

 "all-round" horses; those it is almost impossible to 

 misplace^ — in the sense of being put on a wrong 

 course— under almost any conditions. You may put 

 them, indeed, on any course, regardless of its cli- 

 matic state, the weight to be carried, the distance 

 to be run, or the class of the company to be met. 

 Of these, I have only seen one during my experir 



