OPINIONS OF NOTED COURSERS 167 



success, and he is continually meeting opponents of equal 

 calibre and class. A parallel may be found in the case of 

 the Turf ; for we opine that during the past decade we have 

 been richer in the aggregate of good horses than we ever were 

 previously, while the average of merit far surpasses that of the 

 earlier portions of the century. 



Therefore our verdict on all counts is as follows : — 



1. The average speed has increased. 



2. Stamina and courage have decreased. 



3. Both average and aggregate merit have improved. 



4. Flashiness and roguishness are far more frequently met 

 with. 



Rider. — The causes that have led to the unsatisfactory 

 portion of this verdict are : — 



(a) The attention that has been bestowed on pace at the 

 sacrifice of stamina and courage, consequent on breeding for 

 the rostrum and the demand for ' speedy ones.' 



(^) The evils resulting from the system adoped at enclosures. 



(c) The breeding on lines which, however good, are too 

 closely identified : whereby we do not mean in-breeding ; but 

 rather the too free use of ' fashionable ' sires to the exclusion 

 of a host of hardy, useful customers whose merits at the stud 

 are never fairly tested, yet whose blood is of the bluest, and 

 whose performances have been full of merit. A reference to 

 the list of greyhounds running through the season will reveal 

 the fact that there are not above half-a-dozen sires who have 

 as many runners to represent them — which is remarkable, con- 

 sidering the large number of sterling dogs advertised as at the 

 service of the public. Before quitting this subject we must not 

 forget to point out that, as every dark cloud has a silver lining, 

 it would be unfair in the extreme to heap nothing but unquali- 

 fied abuse on all enclosed meetings. They have their uses 

 and abuses, and in the former capacity should receive recog- 

 nition from even the most bigoted of the old school. A large 

 produce stake such as is run at Haydock is a most interest- 

 ing event. For a puppy competing it is likely to be more 



