GEORGE IV. AND WILLIAM IV. 137 



age of race-horses) that change which, affecting 

 only Newmarket and horses that ran there in the 

 first instance, at last became of universal applica- 

 tion wherever the rules and regulations of the 

 English Jockey Club were observed. It was to 

 the effect that race-horses, which had, up to that 

 date, had their age reckoned from May i in the 

 year of their birth, should have it reckoned for all 

 future time from January i in the year of their 

 birth. It is easy to see how many inconveniences 

 —to say nothing of opportunities for falsification 

 — might arise from an alteration of age taking 

 place after the season had once commenced ; and 

 an additional reason for the change seems to have 

 been suggested by the fact that, in consequence 

 of the loose wording of the old accepted rule, 

 astute trainers — as Mr. T. Hornby Morland (a 

 breeder himself) seems to suggest in his little 

 tract published in the last century — might steal a 

 march upon their fellows by breeding to January 

 instead of May, and thus sell with impunity as 

 yearlings foals that were three or four months 

 older than they were supposed to be. 



It is curious to note that in our day an agita- 

 tion has been set on foot for the purpose of restor- 



