EFFECTS OF DEEP GROUND. 177 
may account for his many defeats on hard ground when 
success seemed certain. 
It is very likely, indeed, that the truly wonderful improve- 
ment some horses make running across country over their 
previous performances on the flat, may in a great measure 
be assigned to the state of the ground; the summer racing 
being mostly over dry ground, and the winter or steeple- 
chasing over wet. Lmblem and Emblematic were not good 
enough to keep in training over flat courses, and were 
certainly non-stayers when thus run; yet, four miles over 
the heaviest ground in the kingdom they were winners of the 
Grand National Steeple-chase at Liverpool, though at the 
time they ran, respectively, neither looked strong enough to 
carry a saddle over such a course, let alone the rider. How- 
ever they did, and beat the bulk of the finest, and strongest, 
and best horses of the day. Indeed we have direct proof 
that many of the speediest horses on the flat, which in racing 
could not stay a mile, some of them not half the distance, 
have stayed in steeple-chases, getting well over their four 
miles across country. It is surprising to see these little 
weeds with heavy weights on them, beating all the best 
weight-carrying horses that can be found, under circum- 
stances seemingly so favourable to the latter—literally 
running through mud. 
Again, we see thorough-bred horses that stay well on the 
flat, and seem the most likely to make good steeple-chasers, 
turn out the very worst. oco, the slowest and very gamest 
horse I think I ever trained, winner of the Metropolitan and 
other races over long courses and dry ground, and strong 
enough to carry twenty stone to hounds, was the worst across 
country. He was sold to Mr. Heathcote for a steeple-chaser ; 
but was found whilst schooling so inactive and lost so much 
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