150 TRIALS. 
Crucifix, who was never beaten, was tried in September 
half a mile with Seth, a four-year-old (a horse of fair 
speed and the winner of many races) at two stone and 
won easily. In fact, I was up myself, and think if I had 
carried another stone I should have won, as the mare did 
not show the least symptom of tiring; and it may be taken 
for granted that the pace was good, as my father rode the old 
one, and was second, the two others tailing off a very 
long way. Crucifix, the next and following year, won 
thirteen times, including the Two Thousand, One Thousand, 
and the Oaks; clearly showing, not only that a half-mile 
trial did her no harm, but, in the most indubitable way, 
that it gave conclusive evidence of her superiority, which 
a trial over a shorter course might have left in doubt—the 
latter a most unsatisfactory mode of procedure. 
Formerly yearlings were not only tried, but run in public; 
and I remember winning the yearling race already men- 
tioned as the first on record, in 1856, at Shrewsbury with 
a filly by Measham, out of The Maid of Saragossa, beating 
six others. And Schism, as has also been named, the 
year following was only beaten a short head for a similar 
race, which she ought to have won with consummate 
ease, as her jockey lost more ground at starting than he 
could ever recover in so short a distance. A remark- 
able fact in this instance, and one worthy of record, 
is that she was a leggy, overgrown, half-furnished sort of 
mare, sixteen hands high at the time, and the least likely 
animal to run such a course that can possibly be imagined. 
Yet this race, in which she carried 7 st. 4 lbs., did not hurt 
her, as she ran successfully for many years afterwards. 
Nevertheless, there are many professed judges who object 
to any trial at all until the horses are three years old ; before 
