RACING, OR TURF HORSES. 211 



tinued up to the late war, Stonehenge, from an English point of view, 

 says ; 



By an examination of the racing time-tables as recorded of late years, 

 it will be seen that from 13 1-2 to 14 seconds per furlong is the highest 

 rate of speed attained in any of our races, above a mile, and with 8 st. 

 7 lbs. carried by three-year-old horses. In 1846, Surplice and Cymba 

 won the Derby and Oaks, each running the distance in 2m. 48s., or ex- 

 actly 14 seconds per furlong. This rate has never since that time been 

 reached ; the Flying Dutchman having however, nearly attained it, but 

 failing by two seconds — making his rate 14 seconds and one sixth per 

 furlong. But the most extraordinary three-year-old performance is that 

 of Sir Tatton Sykes over the St. Leger Course, 1 mile, 6 furlongs, and 

 132 yards in length, which he ran in 3 minutes and 16 seconds, or at a 

 rate of as nearly as possible 13 1-2 seconds per furlong. "With an addi- 

 tional year and the same weight, this speed has been slightly exc4.eded 

 by West Australian, even over a longer course, as .at Ascot in 1854, 

 when he defeated Kingston by a head only ; running two miles and four 

 furlongs in 4m, and 27s., or as nearly as possible at the rate of 13 1-2 

 seconds and one- third per furlong. This performance is the best in 

 modern days, considering the weight, the age, and the distance ; and it 

 will compare very favorably with the often-quoted exploit of Childers 

 over the Beacon Course in 1721, when, being six years old, he beat JLl- 

 manzor and Brown Betty, carrying 9 st. 2 lbs., and doing the distance in 

 6m. 40s., or at the rate of 14 seconds and one-third per furlong. Thus, 

 allowing him his year for the extra mile in the course, and for the 21bs, 

 which he carried above the Kingston's weight, he was outdone by the 

 latter horse at Ascot by one second per furlong, and likewise by West 

 Australian at the usual allowance for his age. Again ; comparing these 

 performances on the English Turf with the recently lauded exploits of 

 the American horses, it will be found that there is no cause for the fear 

 lest our antagonists in the "go-ahead" department should deprive us of 

 our laurels. On the 2d of April, 1855, a time-match was run at New 

 Orleans between Lecomte and Lexington, both four years old, in which 

 the latter, who won, did the four miles, carrying 7 st. 51bs., in 7m. 19 

 3-4s., or as nearly as may be, 13 3-4 seconds per furlong. This is con-, 

 sidered by the Americans the best time on record, and is undoubtedly a 

 creditable performance ; though when the light weight is taken into ac- 

 «ount, not so near our best English time as would at first sight appear. 

 On the 14th of April, Brown Dick and Arrow ran three miles over th« 

 same course in 5m. 28s., or at the rate of 13 seconds and two-thirds ipot 

 furlong ; the former a three-year-old, carrying 6 st. 2 lbs., and the latter 

 five years old, 6 st. 12 lbs. Thus it will appear that Kingston, of th« 



