SOME MEMORABLE MATCHES 277 



won in a certain time, or by a certain distance, or 

 both. 



First of all, as regards 'timing' or 'clocking' 

 (as it is called in America). Nothing is more 

 perplexing or untrustworthy than this mode, 

 though it has its uses, of measuring the merit of 

 an achievement. So many accessories have to be 

 taken into consideration — age, weight, weather, 

 the natural formation of the race-ground, condition 

 of the ground, initial pace, and other little items, 

 including the accuracy of the time-piece depended 

 upon and of the person or persons using it, and 

 the rider's or driver's skill and knowledge of the 

 horse or horses ridden or driven. Evidently, 

 however, from the nature of the case, in a match 

 against time the ' clocking ' is likely to be more 

 trustworthy than in any other race. 



But, whether or no, it is curious to note that in 

 America, where ' clocking ' is thought much more 

 of than among ourselves (and also in France and 

 Australia), the horses bred there, though they are 

 unable, as a rule, to hold their own with our 

 horses in this country, perform given distances in 

 shorter times (according to the foreign records) 

 than our horses at home, or than those same 

 horses in this country. It may be that the 



