1 6 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Three English-bred horses of great prepotency, important in 

 founding the Thoroughbred, stand out as really great ancestors 

 of the modem speed horse. They are the following : 



1. Herod {King Herod). This horse was born in 1758 and 

 was bred by the Duke of Cumberland, a brother of George II. 

 He was used on the race course for a time and was then retired 

 to the stud. He is said to have sired 497 prize winners on various 

 race courses, and it is estimated that they won for their owners 

 ;£20i,505, or over one million dollars. Herod was a direct 

 descendant of the Byerly Turk. 



2. Matchem. One of the important sons of the Godolphin 

 Barb was named Cade. He proved to be an indifferent race 

 horse, but a great breeder, due to his superior blood and con- 

 formation. Matchem, his best-known son, became a great racer 

 as well as a prominent sire. It is stated that he made a record 

 on the Beacon course at the rate of a mile in 1.44. He also 

 became well known for the excellence of his progeny in speed 

 quality, for he sired 354 sons and daughters that were winners 

 of races. Matchem was born in 1748 and died in 1781. 



3. Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was the sire of two great 

 horses in their day, notably Flying Childers, also known as The 

 Devonshire, and Bartlett's Childers. The former was a chestnut 

 horse with four white feet, and was the fastest horse on the 

 English turf up to his time. Bartlett's Childers was never trained 

 to race, but was used in the stud instead. A grandson of his, 

 named Marske, bred to the mare Spiletta, was the sire of Eclipse, 

 foaled in 1764 during a great eclipse from which he takes his 

 name. From two points of view this horse may be regarded as 

 perhaps the greatest in history, one as a racer the other as a 

 progenitor of racers. He was bred by the Duke of Cumber- 

 land, and at the sale of his stud brought 75 guineas. He 

 was five years old before going on the turf, running first at 

 Epsom. In his second race, at York, he distanced his com- 

 petitors. In 1769 Dennis O'Kelly bought him for 1650 guineas 

 ($8250). As a racer he distanced some of the best horses of 

 his time. Finally, as no one would race against him, he closed 

 his racing career of seventeen months by walking over the 

 Newmarket race course for the King's Plate in October, 1770. 



