554 HISTORY OF THE 



These wolds, or downs, are divided into the train- 

 ing-ground and the race-course, by the high road 

 leading from the town of Malton, the latter laying 

 on the right of it ; and the only drawback on them 

 is their difficulty of access from the training- 

 stables. 



The Middleham Moors, divided into the upper 

 and lower moor, is the third training-ground, and 

 is open to the same objection as the Whiteclift 

 Moors, on the score of not containing sufficient 

 space ; the upper moor contains the best galloping 

 ground. The Whiteclift Moors, about two miles 

 from the town of Richmond, are likewise divided 

 into higher and lower moor. The latter is the 

 race-course, and is within a mile from the town. 



These may be said to form the principal train- 

 ing-grounds in England, as no first class horses 

 are trained on any other. Of course we do not 

 include in this sweeping clause, the training- 

 grounds of noblemen and gentlemen who train at 

 home. These are, however, strictly private, being 

 in their own parks. 



The best training-ground in Ireland, and per- 

 haps in Europe, is the Curragh of Kildare, a fine 

 open heath, of nearly five thousand acres of elastic 

 turf. This we have sufficiently described in our 

 chapter on race-courses. 



In Scotland, by far the best ground is Gullane 

 Links, to the east of Edinburgh, and close to the 

 sea. It consists of a large tract of sandy soil, 



