the winners are equally divided between the represen- 

 tatives of the two nations. 



But there had begun in England the evolution which 

 was to bring about in the horse an adaptation to shorter 

 distances, and in 1880 we arrive at the moment when this 

 adaptation was perfect for the mile and seven furlongs of 

 this test. Consequently seven consecutive victories for 

 the English. 



Still the evolution kept on and beginning with 1887 

 the mile and seven furlongs of the Grand Prix became 

 too much for the English cracks, and consequently twen- 

 ty-five consecutive victories for France against one lone 

 English victory (Spearmint, 1906). 



Does this mean that the same evolution has not taken 

 place in France? Not at all, but it took place later, and 

 English horses are still a little in the lead .in this back- 

 ward direction. But it is probable that at the present 

 time no horse of the highest quality, either in France 

 or England, is running his proper distance in a race of 

 a mile and seven furlongs. Are there not every year 

 doubts concerning the ability of the greatest cracks to 

 stay the mile and a half of the Derby? 



However, the Grand Prix will continue to be run at a 

 mile and seven furlongs, and very soon when the apti- 

 tudes of the horses shall have become standardized in 

 France as they have in England, we will see our great race 

 won alternately by an English horse and a French horse 

 exactly as in the beginning. 



The horses of the two nations will compete again on 

 equal terms, with this difference, however, that at first 

 they were above their tasks, and soon they will not be up 

 to them. 



We have now to explain ourselves by two examples 

 given by the " Sport Universel Illustre," examples which 

 apparently tend to weaken our theories. 



77 



