138 QUEEN'S PREMIUM SIRES. 



old came into force — there were 116 entries. 

 Porty-nine of these having been selected by 

 the judges in the preliminary inspection as 

 worthy to compete for the twenty-nine pre- 

 miums of £150 each, three only of their 

 number were rejected by the veterinary in- 

 spectors, which may be regarded as very 

 satisfactory, so many of our modern thorough- 

 breds being subject to "roaring," and other 

 hereditary complaints. 



No fewer than thirteen of the sires which 

 ultimately won premiums on this occasion 

 were successful also in 1897, while five others 

 had gained them on previous occasions. The 

 chief honours fell to Marioni, who then won 

 his eighth consecutive premium. This is a 

 horse I know well, for he won his first four 

 in this district (D.), being then the property 

 of the Com^iton Stud Company. Sold by them 

 for £1000 (for Ruddigore, a similar class 

 horse and of the same colour, a very rich 

 dark chestnut, they obtained, I believe, 



