^,2,^ HORSE-RACING IN ENGLAND 



Astley's Drumhead (owner), six years, sixteen 

 stone ten pounds each ; 500; 5 to 4 on Solomon; 

 Drumhead broke down. (Noticeable as an 

 attempt to revive the old-fashioned very severe 

 sort of racino-, and as sugfaestive of a doubt 

 whether modern race-horses are as stout as the 

 old — vide K.V). 1727.) 



A.D. 1879 : In this year our French neighbours 

 indulged in two matches, which deserve notice 

 for different reasons. One took place at Long- 

 champs race-course, on June 10, between a 

 thorough-bred steeple-chaser called Triboulet 

 and a 'trotting pony' called Tambour-Battant ; 

 forty kilometres (say twenty-five miles) ; for 

 10,000 francs (say ^400). The trotter was to 

 be driven on the ' go as you please ' plan in a 

 ' spider ' ; the thoroughbred was to gallop the 

 whole distance ; and the latter won the match 

 without being distressed, or, at any rate, so 

 much distressed as his rider, in i hour, 20 

 minutes, 3 seconds, by something like four 

 miles, which was supposed to prove the fallacy 

 of the theory that ' the thorough-bred has more 

 speed but less bottom than the half-bred.' The 

 other match was a disgustingly cruel affair 



