Blood Slices, 185 



that, " when harassed with private work, he indis- 

 creetly gave away his year, started with twelve stone, 

 and fell lame ;" while the owner of " Snap (late Mr 

 Latham's)," disclaiming all notion of a lengthy eulogy, 

 snaps at Mr. L. on this wise : " But let it suffice to 

 say that he has the best constitution of any known 

 sire ; and if he had been in the hands of any man of 

 spirit, it is not doubted but that he would have made 

 the capital horses of his time submit to his invariable 

 powers, over The Beacon, or any other course." An 

 Irish breeder would not have long doubted as to its 

 being his duty to burn powder on such a provocation 

 The great thing in Young Snap's favour seems to be, 

 that " he is a decided master of twenty stone" — a 

 quality which must have endeared him to the eques- 

 trian Daniel Lamberts who rode a race over Knaves- 

 mire, about that period, at thirty stone each ! Again, 

 we are called upon by others to note that " judges 

 consider" their favourite's "substance to lye proper, 

 so as not to hinder action," or that *' he is as perfect a 

 horse to get racing cattle as ever came into England." 

 One retires early from the turf ; but the breeder is 

 advised to take comfort, as his inability to stand a 

 long training arose from ''his off-hip being struck 

 down before his birth ;" while " a sagacious and 

 powerful colt" did not prosper in the trainer's hands 

 simply because " he was left to the care of a lad of 

 feather, and spoiled by getting the ascendant." Then 

 there is Sturdy, whom George IIL, of blessed pigtail 

 memory, rode while he was at the stud — a " most pro- 

 per horse," as his owner observes. Age is evidently 

 of no account, as we read of one of " twenty-three 

 years old, in full-toned virility, possessed of instinct in 

 a superior degree, and, withal, a genuine spirit !" Tan- 

 trum's owner soars still higher into the regions of 

 fancy. He supposes the owner of a mare, who has 

 just seen the Tantrum, studiously ''gazing at a picture 

 of Flying Childcrs (who brought his haunches so well 



