HORSE BREEDING. 149 



what a magnificent sight would be afforded by a field of 

 such animals, if they were kept and prepared from their 

 very foalhood for this one great event. 



"What is to prevent such a race being established ? 

 I am convinced that it only wants starting in the most 

 influential quarters, and the object would be gained ; 

 it would give a great impetus to horse-breeding, by 

 drawing the attention of capitalists to the subject, and 

 awakening the understanding of those who up to this 

 period breed nothing but weedy mongrels not worth the 

 litter they lie upon. The money would soon be sub- 

 scribed by masters of hounds, members of hunts, and 

 the plucky horse-proud gentlemen of our own tight little 

 island, and the sister country, from whence I opine 

 many of the candidates would come. 



This great event might be run off at Ascot say in 

 six years from the 1st of January, 1861 ; it should be 

 open to all nations, and no allowance as to height, 

 weight, or breed should be made, but no horse should be 

 alllowed to start that has ever run in a race previously. 



There would be one advantage in the breeding of horses 

 for this event, that, if bred with judgment, the losers 

 (of which there would be a great number) would find 

 a ready market for at them remunerative prices, as ani- 

 mals, bred with pretensions to win such an event would 

 be worth their cost price and a profit, for stud or general 

 purposes while the refuse of our present breed of rac- 

 ing stock is good for no purpose but to perpetuate their 

 infirmities and constitutional weakness to our mixed 



