144 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



In 1/99 Hambletonian and Diamond ran for a 

 sum of three thousand guineas at Newmarket. 



A "sweepstakes" is a race in which several 

 horses may take part, the winner taking the 

 total of the stakes. 



The "king's or queen's plate" is a prize given 

 by the sovereign ; formerly it consisted of some 

 object of art, but of late it has taken the form 

 of a purse containing one hundred guineas. 



chances are that all the horses will be equal 

 When the weighting is made known on the 

 morning of the race any owner who is dissat- 

 isfied may withdraw his horse without paying 

 a forfeit. 



Newmarket is a little town where the most 

 numerous and most important races are held. 

 The land is perfectly smooth and even, and 

 very fa\orable for what are called flat races 



QCO A'.ADIS 



The " Derby " is a race run at Epsom by 

 three-year-old stallions. 



The " Oaks stake " is also run at Epsom by 

 three-year-old fillies, while the St. Legeris run at 

 Doncaster by three-year-okl horses of all kinds. 



A "handicap" is run by different partici- 

 pants, but the weight they carry varies accr)rd- 

 ing to the way they have run in previous races. 

 If the handicapper, that is the man who dis- 

 tributes the weights, knows his business, the 



in contradistinction to steeplechases, or races 

 over barriers and obstacles. The Newmarket 

 races often last a week, excluding Sunday. 

 There are twenty different tracks and several 

 trainers' stables. The king of England, who has 

 a large stud of racers and is an ardent sports- 

 man, has an establishment at Newmarket in 

 charge of the trainer Richard Marsh. One can 

 often see the king himself, mounted on a stout 

 pony, superintending the training of his horses. 



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