RACING IN INDIA 133 



an inferior animal, and, by skill and work, winning races 

 with him in moderate company, than in owning (as many 

 do at home) first-class horses which were entirely in the 

 hands of a trainer, on whom I should have to be solely 

 dependent for information as to theu' form and pretensions. 



Six or seven horses will be found a large-enough 

 string for up-country meetings, if the owner intends to 

 look after them himself, and expects them to win enough 

 to cover their expenses. To accomplish this, one should 

 have horses of a useful class, that would be certain to 

 find races to run for at the different meetings to which 

 they might go, with a fair chance of pulling off an event 

 now and then. Keeping horses too good for one's line 

 of country is hardly more paying than owning animals 

 too bad for it. The presence of first-class horses (if their 

 form be known) deters owners from entering against 

 them ; the races do not fill ; and even if they do so on 

 an odd occasion, it is simply " buying money " to back 

 them ; while in handicaps, a good horse, among moderate 

 ones, gets so much weight piled on, that it is almost 

 certain either to break him down or to spoil his action. 

 An owner should remember that knowledge of the best 

 manner in which to *' place " his horses is the great secret 

 of success in racing. 



A first-class steeplechaser does not come under these 

 objections ; for " between the flags," one's money being 

 "in the air," men will usually enter on the outside 

 chance of a fall or refusal. Besides, the added money 

 alone is generally worth running for, even without 

 speculation. 



One or two sfood second-class Australians which can 



