171 



CHAPTER XL 

 EACING. 



Ancient History of the Turf— Interesting Dates and Events— Author's Notions— They will 

 be Eicliculed and not Adopted— Suggested Clianges— A Table— Manifest effect— A 

 Flutter — The Derby of 1892 — How to produce Weight-carrying Thoroughbreds — 

 Training Stables— Two-year-olds — Effect of a Severe Kace— Celebrated Owners — 

 Absurdity— " Lucky " y. " Celebrated "—Trainer and Jockey more entitled— Mr. Mat 

 Maher— Major Trocke— Author's Rhapsody— Mr. Bluudell Maple— Mr. R. Vyner— 

 Patriots— Ages of Horses Raced in Ireland since 1850— Number and value of races same 

 time— Author's remarks thereon— Sagacity of Irish Owners— Ages of English Horses 

 Raced in 1891— English v. Irish Horses in number— Result one v. the other— Reason 

 why — Supposition of the Author — Many particulars— Irish v. English Trainers — And 

 Training— And Rearing— English Polish— Handicapping— A Paradox— Argued Out — 

 A Suggestion from the Author— Injustice— Iniquitous Rule— Letter from the Author- 

 Queen's Plates— Their Object— Their Failure— Author's Suggestion as to their Reforma- 

 tion — A Formula for Adoption — What it would result in — A Premium not a Stake — 

 The Government— Increase of Value of Queen's Plates— Good opportunity— Conserva- 

 tive Rulers and Radical changes— A Hint to the Jockey and Turf Clubs— Love of 

 Sporb V. Money Making— Examples— A 5sov. Sweep— A Trial at Kingsclere— 

 Lord Falmouth — Baron de Hirsch — Xewmarket — Suburban Meetings — Ascot 

 and Goodwood— The Leger— Grand National and Punchestown— 5,000 and 10,000 

 Guineas Stakes— Not really Popular— Result— Cost of Racing in Ireland— Irish 

 Racing Calendar of 1891 — Particulars of Expenditure covering several pages — Dealing 

 with various items — In various ways — With Result Extraordinary — Table of Same — 

 Boys employed in Irish Stables— Cost of Racing in England— Particulars of Expenditure 

 still more Extraordinary— Weatherby's Calendars —More pages of wonderful matter 

 —Winding up with Tables showing Stupendous Result— Boys employed in English 

 Stables— More than Ten Regiments -Estimat;s taken at Low Rate— New market 

 Racing Stables— Palatial— Where the Money Goes— Racing v. Hunting— Various 

 Comparisons — Growth of Popularity unprecedented — Cause thereof — No doubt of its 

 continuance— A Gloomy Foreboding— The Zenith— The Descent— A Calamity— Our 

 Nobility and Gentry — Pilots and Helmsmen — Buttress of Racing — Advice to Radicals 

 Author's visits to Newmarket— Mat Dawson— His Pictures— His Betting— Other 

 parties' ignorance— " An Honest Man "— Whitewall— The Scotts— Highfield— The 

 I'Ausons— Old v. New Race Stabling— Trainers' Houses— Jockeys' Incomes— Two 

 Interesting Cuttings— One not to Author's wishes — The other to them. 



In some of the earliest history we find horse- racing recorded among 

 the greatest sports of the time. If we dived into researches of "grey- 

 antiquity " we would find that Greek raced Trojan across the " windy 

 plains of Troy," and where Ctesar tells us that Cassevelaunus kept 

 4,000 racing chariots. Happily, for my purpose, to search up the 

 Racirg Calendars of those days is not necessary. 



I shall, however, make reference to a few items of interest recorded 

 in the early annals of our English racing. The particulars I condense 

 from long cuttings which 1 find in my old scrap-book— a little volume 

 which has many times done me good service while compiling this book. 



The exact place where racing began in England, nor yet the date, 

 cannot be fixed reliably. One authority says that the Eomans held 

 meetings at York and Doncaster a.d. 204, but how he finds that out I 

 don't know. Others claim for Cheshire the pride of place ; anyhow 

 Chester Kaces can be traced back to 1511. 



