RACING REFORM. 321 



with great interest. In 1884 nineteen races for 

 two-year-olds were run at Newmarket during 

 the first three meetings, and very fair fields of 

 competitors were seen on the Heath. At the 

 Newmarket April Meeting of last year (1890) 

 there were seven races on the programme for 

 two-year-olds. 



From these statistics it will at once be 

 apparent that if an abridgment of two-year-old 

 racing is ever to take place it will have to begin 

 at home, and the Jockey Club will require to set 

 the example. Owners and trainers have, how- 

 ever, become so accustomed to the present early 

 and lavish display of two-year-olds on all the 

 racecourses of the kingdom that it will be difficult 

 to enter even the thin end of the wedge. The 

 racing public are wedded to things as they are, 

 and yearlings have become so costly that owners 

 and trainers are glad to see their horses earning 

 money at an early date. 



III. 



So long ago as the year i860 Lord Redesdale 

 introduced a Bill into the House of Lords, in 

 which it was proposed that, after January ist, 

 1 86 1, no horse should start for any racing prize 

 carrying less than 7 St., under a penalty of .;?200 

 and forfeiture of the horse so running. The 

 measure was opposed by Lord Derby, who 

 thought the superior old horses would be placed 

 at a disadvantage by having to carry 1 1 and 12 st. 

 But why not, was asked, seeing that every colt 

 running in the Derby carries 9 St., and every filly 

 only 5 lb. less than that, whilst no horse in any 



