320 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



times stronger within the club than out of it ; at 

 any rate, it will not soon be forgotten how one of 

 its members at a prominent meeting created a 

 "scene" in the ring because he had been antici- 

 pated in backing one of his horses — that gentle- 

 man's love of " the noble sport of horse-racing " is 

 easily estimated. Probably before that time comes 

 — it seems to be at present far distant — when no 

 person will be eligible for election to the club 

 who bets, much-needed reforms of various kinds 

 will have been consummated. At some future 

 date it may probably be enacted by the Jockey 

 Club that two-year-old horses shall not run at 

 Lincoln, nor at the earlier Newmarket meetings 

 as at present, but be reserved for a later period 

 of the season ; in the meantime, however, with 

 the sordid spirit of gambling pervading every 

 nook and corner of the turf, it is vain to hope 

 for much reform of the kind indicated by Sir 

 Joseph Hawley. 



Before leaving this part of the subject it may 

 just be noted that there was no lack of two-year- 

 old racing at Newmarket in the years (1882-83) 

 which are selected as being representative. From 

 April 1 1 th to 1 4th six races took place in which 

 two-year-olds were the competitors either in whole 

 or part ; for these the fields numbered respectively 

 6, 8, 3, 10, 8, and 3. From April 25th to 28th 

 ten races were run at head-quarters, the fields for 

 which averaged 1 1 horses. At the May New- 

 market reunion (9th to nth) there were thirteen 

 races in which two-year-olds were engaged, being 

 an average of say 6 horses for each race. The 

 Newmarket July Meeting is celebrated for its 

 two-year-old races, two of which are looked upon 



