226 THE RACEHORSE AS HE WAS AND IS. 
The result of such an examination on my own part has 
been a definite conclusion. I believe our horses are superior 
in speed and endurance to the horses of past times, and, if 
it be an additional advantage, are increased in size. 
The late Admiral Rous, the first great authority that I 
shall quote, says :— 
“ There is an ignorant notion abroad that the thoroughbreds 
have degenerated because so many are broken down before 
they are four years old. It is no wonder if we reflect 
that in these railroad times the young horses are destroyed 
by galloping and racing for ten months in the year-—two- 
year-olds running three and four times in a week. It is the 
old story, killing the goose for the golden eggs—otherwise 
there is no deterioration; on the contrary, the racehorse 
never was so good.” 
Every sentiment of the gallant admiral, as above expressed, 
I fully endorse. I think the reputation for speed will be 
safe in the keeping of such horses as the following :— 
Trappist, Thunder, Galopin, Prince Charlie, Springfield, 
Ecossais, and Lollipop ; and for endurance with such as: Mew 
Alolland, Hampton, Petrarch, and Pageant—some of the 
latter, and many others I could mention, being equally good 
at any distance up to and under four miles, though some few 
may have been sent to the stud, where we shall find many 
more good horses of both sexes. The names of a few of 
the latter may be given as follows:—Sterling, Rosicrucian, 
Speculum, The Earl, Hermit, Doncaster, Blue Gown, See-Saw, 
Julius, and Palmer as sires, and Apology, Brigantine, Europa, 
Hannah, Formosa, Green Sleeves, Marie Stuart, and Fréulein 
as mares; besides a host of others too numerous to mention. 
It will be well now to contrast the performances of a few 
of these modern horses with those of one of the best of 
former years; for which purpose I select the running of Bay 
Middleton in 1836, a performance that I think had never up 
