ABSURDITY OF PRICES IN OUR DAYS. 127 
Hetman Platoff, who broke down in the struggle for victory 
at Warwick. 
In those days, some forty years ago, it was considered an 
extraordinary sale if anything fetched 1,000 guineas ; but now 
itis a poor business if many of the yearlings do not reach four 
figures, their lucky and brave purchasers receiving deafening 
plaudits for their skill and indomitable pluck in securing the 
coveted prizes. This is no romantic picture, for as a matter 
of fact I remember a few years ago seeing yearling after 
yearling sold not only for 1,000 guineas, but 2,000 guineas 
each ; reaching as much, in one case, as 2,400 guineas. Nor 
must it be concluded that a few picked lots only went for 
high figures ; for some forty, I think, realised at this sale an 
average of 500 guineas apiece. Just after one of these sensa- 
tional flatcatchers had been disposed of to some unfortunate 
individual, a nice little filly, but rather upright in her fore 
pasterns (a dwarf to the giant that preceded her), was led into 
the ring, and nearly led out again without a bid, as Mr. 
Tattersall had ordered her back and called for the next lot, 
when a couple of hundred was offered for her and she was 
knocked down at that figure. The late Mr. J. B. Starkey was 
the bidder; and the impression was that the purchase was 
tnade, not by a particularly good judge, or by an astute trainer, 
such as had bought the high-priced yearlings, but by a genial 
gentleman, who, having shared in the host's hospitality, felt 
ita duty to bid for something. However, he bought the best 
animal at the sale, and though this is not saying very much 
for his bargain, it proved a really good one, as the yearling 
ran a very good mare—the well-known Vzridis. Now there 
were present on this occasion not only all our home pur- 
chasers of note, but foreign judges buying for their respective 
governments or private clients ; yet not one of them selected 
