FALLIBILITY OF LOOKS. 123 
CHAPTER XIV. 
THE PURCHASE OF YEARLINGS. 
Difficulties of judgment—Fallibility of good looks—Hints on buying : attendance 
on sales ; opportunities at Doncaster ; necessity to try paces before purchase— 
Failures of high-priced yearlings: Maximz/ian and others ; exceptional case 
of Promised Land—Instances of successes of low-priced yearlings: Brigan- 
tine, Schism, Blue Rock—Judges of yearlings and their reputation; Lord 
George Bentinck, my father, and Mendicant ; her performances as a race- 
horse and her appearance as a yearling—Instances of yearlings rejected as 
undersized : Sweetmeat, Venison, Foe Miller, Musji@d—A high-priced failure : 
Glenivat—Prices in past and present times contrasted: absurdity of prices 
now given at public auctions; contrary examples of out-turm of reasonably- 
priced stock; Mr. J. B. Starkey’s purchase of Viridis; my purchase of 
Elcho for Mr. Gerard Sturt and his achievements—Fashion and its influence: 
how yearlings are bred to be sold, and how they should be bought—Value of 
blood ; produce of old mares often good: examples, Crucifix and Caractacus 
—Predilection for fat yearlings, and resulting disappointment to owner and 
trainer—My preference for light yearlings ; where such may be bought, and 
instances: Starter, Fudge, and Steward—Progress of light and big yearlings 
contrasted ; prevalence of sore shins with the latter—Excellent result of Sir 
Tatton Sykes’s method of breeding ; rarity of disease amongst his stock; 
their successes and instances—Points that should be looked for—Reason of 
Sir Tatton’s successes ; ‘‘ like begets like ”—His disposal of colts and fillies ; 
account of a visit to Sledmere and purchase of /almistry—Private and 
public breeding-studs contrasted, and reasons for the successes of the former— 
Results of paying high prices, and examples—An unfashionably-bred winner : 
Sester—Horses run in all shapes—Inferences to be drawn ; the best yearlings to 
buy—Engagements of yearlings: hints and arguments ; current errors; early 
trials recommended, and reasons—Dictum of the Marquess of Anglesey. 
THE subject I have chosen for this chapter is one of great 
difficulty. Nothing perhaps in racing is attended with more 
trouble and less satisfaction than the purchase of yearlings. 
