178 



The Arabian Horse, 



in India, which is given in a former part of this 

 chapter, proves the suggestion to be fact ; but to 

 make it more apparent, and to save the trouble of re- 

 ference, I give two tables, one showing the time occupied 

 in running for the ' Epsom Derby,' during a period of 

 fifteen years taken in succession, with the single ex- 

 ception of the race in 1861, Kettledrum's year, in 

 which instance the horses were started some 50 yards 

 in advance of the post (the time was the same in Blair 

 Athol's year) ; the other giving the performances of 

 certain Arabs before mentioned, in which account the 

 accuracy of the distances, weights, and timing may be 

 depended upon. I selected the Epsom Derby because 

 the distance was exactly i^ mile. It is the race of the 

 year, contested by the ' crack ' horses of the year, and 

 perhaps the best criterion we have in England. The 

 period includes the Flying Dutchman's and Blair Athol's 

 years, the latter the fastest Derby on record. 



