92 MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HORSES 



received the reply that "all Bedford Level wo n^- 

 purchase him." At another time O'Kelly was <_. rered 

 $125,000 and an annuity of $2,500 for life. Eclipse wori 

 eleven King's Plates, and O'Kelly cleared £25,000 on hiud. 



At the close of his racing career, Eclipse was placed ii. 

 the stud, where he was equally as successful as on the 

 race course. He sired 334 winners that won for their 

 owners £160,000. He died in 1789 at the age of 25 years. 

 In historical description this noted horse is said to have 

 been about 15. i hands high; his shoulders were low, 

 oblique and thick above, while he stood high behind. He 

 possessed a powerful loin, very long quarters as well as 

 powerful and long thighs and forearms. His stride was 

 very wide, and he was so thick winded that he could be 

 heard some distance. John Lawrence said of him that 

 "he puffed and blowed like an otter and galloped as wide 

 as a barn door." While Eclipse is described as being of 

 fine disposition, in a race he took his own gait, rushing 

 along with his head down, indifferent of his rider, who 

 found it impossible to control him. 



MatcJicm. — This horse was born in 1748, and was'bre-,1 

 by Sir John Holmes of Carlisle. He was sired by Cad. 

 and was out of Sister to Miss Patten. He begun hi 

 racing career August, 1753, as a five-year-old, and ended 

 it September, 1758, when he was placed in the stud. He 

 was only moderately successful as a racer, but very 

 famous as a sire, due to his superior blood and conforma- 

 tion. His best-known son, also called Matchem, became 

 a great racer and a successful sire. It is stated that he 

 made a record of 1.44 for the mile on the Beacon course. 

 Matchem sired 354 sons and daughters that were the 

 winners of races. Matchem died in 1781 at the age of 

 33 years. 



Improvement of the Thoroughbred. — For nearly three 

 centuries Thoroughbreds have been bred under a most 

 rigid system of selection, performance on the race course 

 being the standard. The high degree of perfection 



