BRITISH TURF. 553 



the flat by the side of the ditch, and home up 

 Cambridge Hill, or over the flat, coming home 

 round the turn of the lands on the lower side of 

 the Beacon Course, without touching the running 

 ground. The principal training- ground for the 

 horses that stand at the east end of the town, 

 is the Warren Hill, on the road leading to 

 Bury. 



Next to Newmarket, the downs of Epsom and 

 Ascot may be said to be the principal training- 

 grounds of the south of England. These, how- 

 ever, we have sufficiently described in our chapter 

 on race-courses ; we will, therefore, proceed to 

 notice the principal training-grounds in the north, 

 which, from their soft elastic surfaces, are better 

 adapted for horses that are in strong work than 

 those of the south. 



Yorkshire contains the four best training- 

 grounds in the north of England. Of these, the 

 most extensive is Black Hamilton, on the high 

 road leading from Thirsk to Helmsley. Notwith- 

 standing that the soil is a strong, stiflf clay, this 

 ground gallops well, — the turf being very much 

 intermixed with moss, which prevents it from be- 

 coming hard, and preserves it elastic even in the 

 driest weather. 



Langton Wolds, the next ground, is extensive, 

 contains every variety of surface, and is princi- 

 pally covered with short heather, intermixed with 

 moss, affording a fine springy turf for galloping. 



