THE ENGAGEMENTS OF YEARLINGS. 137 
in this way, would be chiefly because I should know that no 
one would be able to oppose me with better looking, or, from 
their breeding, horses more likely to run ; whilst many would 
bring into the field horses which, comparatively speaking, 
would be brutes. Were I induced to break the rule, it would 
only be to put a well-bred colt or filly of moderate looks in 
the Derby or Oaks. 
Now, how very seldom do we see horses engaged in this 
way. Rather do we not notice continually the reverse 
adopted? We see the breeder of, say half a dozen yearlings, 
or the purchaser of a like number at indiscriminate prices, no 
matter what their breeding or looks, engage them all alike in 
the best stakes against the most fashionably and best bred 
horses in England. It is quite true one or other of them 
may be good. But he must be a bold and sanguine man to 
expect success as the result, who engages horses after this 
fashion. Since the introduction of the small entrance fee, 
stakes that formerly had but a few subscribers have now 
many, and in most races some good horses are generally 
to be found entered. What then is your chance of winning 
but a very poor one with a “weed” or an unfashionably 
bred colt or filly?) Moreover, many of the yearlings that 
are thus heavily engaged, have been well tried before the 
day of closing the stakes, whilst others are receiving an 
allowance that yours may not be entitled to. Under such 
a load of disadvantages, who can hope to win with anything 
but the best, or nearly the best, of his year? 
But the yearlings being engaged in the hope of winning 
something, the temptation to run often follows as a necessary 
consequence ; and by doing battle against superior animals 
your own become stale, and unable to win other races in 
which, having different opponents, there would be chances in 
