216 THE ENGLISH TURF 



form, and who was looked upon as a certainty by his trainer 

 and friends. However, in the race Barcaldine proved what 

 a wonderful horse he was by an easy two-length victory, 

 and I have not the slightest doubt that he could have won 

 with 10 st. up. The performance, considering that it was 

 achieved in a two-mile handicap, takes very high rank, 

 and I know of nothing which has equalled it during the 

 last twenty years. Of late years class has not been quite 

 so well represented in the Northumberland Plate, but 

 thousand-pound handicaps are now of almost everyday 

 occurrence, and horses are not kept for the race as they 

 once were. 



On the last day of the meeting the Seaton Delaval Stakes, 

 worth from ;i,ooo to 1,500, is a much-coveted two-year-old 

 prize ; but it is to be hoped that the recent legislation of the 

 Jockey Club with regard to long-distance running will 

 bring about a reinstitution of the Newcastle Gold Cup, the 

 Gosforth round course being, like Gatwick, exactly suited for 

 a cup contest. 



Scottish racing offers few attractions to English owners, 

 trainers, and jockeys ; and, except at Ayr in September, few 

 of the average English race-goers attend the meetings. Of 

 course, all of them are much more difficult of access than are 

 Gosforth Park and Carlisle, but a good programme is always 

 issued for Ayr, and several horses are annually sent from 

 Newmarket to the fixture. Edinburgh Races were at one 

 time more important than they are now, but the Gold Cup 

 is still a chief feature of the programme, and the meeting is 

 supported by Lord Rosebery and other Scottish owners 

 who train in England. There is also an enclosure at 

 Hamilton Park, near Glasgow, where meetings are held 

 under both sets of rules ; and meetings are held at Paisley, 

 Perth, Kelso, and Lanark. Not many horses are trained in 

 Scotland, but the various Yorkshire stables contribute their 

 supply of runners, and plenty of local interest is everywhere 

 forthcoming. 



