66 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



day to day, so that it would be as futile to judge the 

 powers of a horse on an English track by the watch, as 

 it would be to estimate the capabilities of a sculler by 

 sending him a trial against time from Putney to Mort- 

 lake, in which journey it would be impossible to make 

 due allowance for the effect of the tide. Yet on still 

 water, or on a level cinder path, the stop-watch is an 

 admirable guide for the oarsman, swimmer, or a pedes- 

 trian. We are, of course, aware of its great use in 

 match-trotting. Any calculations based on time per- 

 formances of horses up or down hill, or through heavy 

 ground, should be disregarded, as a slight incline would 

 make a difference of three or four seconds in a mile, 

 while a steady fall of rain might protract the gallop to 

 double or treble that extent. Take, for instance, the 

 race for this }-car's Goodwood Stakes, two and a half 

 miles, which was won by Fortissimo, one of the best 

 stayers we have in England, carrying 8 st. 3 lbs, in 

 5 min. 18 sees, after a desperate struggle with that 

 good horse Reveller at even weights : Fordham and 

 Osborne up. The " going," however, was very deep. 

 On an ordinary Indian racecourse a first-class Arab 

 would, with the burden carried by the Goodwood 

 winner, do the same distance in nearly half a minute 



