PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE 
561 
end to, “ as it no longer encourages the breed of good horses.” Now, I 
requested the hon. gentleman to postpone his motion, and I did so because 
on the 1st of next month there is a show of horses in this town, and I 
believe there will be three hundred hunters, forty-two thorough-bred 
horses, with hacks, and horses of every description. I wanted the House 
to judge for itself whether the breed of horses had fallen off or not. In 
the Easter vacation I went to see two studs of horses—one belonging to 
a noble lord who unfortunately did not run first but ran second for the 
Derby. He had thirty-six horses in training, and I think eighteen of 
them would have carried me. I don’t think I can give better proof of the 
quality of the present breed of horses. (Hear, hear.) My other visit 
was paid to the hon. member for Hyde (Baron Rothschild), who pos¬ 
sesses as fine a stud of horses as can be seen anywhere. (Hear, hear.) 
So far from the breed of horses having fallen off, I believe there never 
was a time when thorough-bred horses were more surely going back to 
that size and power which formerly distinguished them. (Hear.) Objec¬ 
tion is taken to the racing of two-year-olds. And what is proposed ? 
Why, to do away with all the races for old horses, all the weight-for-age 
races, and to abolish the Queen’s Plates. I say it is impossible to tell to 
what degree these Queen’s Plates encourage the breed of horses. You 
cannot judge of this at all by the number of horses which run for them. 
After horses have passed their third year, a man is inclined to ask, 
“ What can I do with them ?” “ Oh !” he thinks, “ I can race them for 
Queen’s Platesand this attaches a value to these horses which other¬ 
wise they would not possess, and without which they might go out of the 
country. (Hear.) But then it is said, “These horses ought to run 
longer distances and with heavier weights.” Well, I say in reply that 
Admiral Rous is quite right, and that if you do so you will have none 
but common hacks running for Queen’s Plates. (Hear, hear.) No man 
would run good horses in four-mile heats with heavy weights for £100. 
At the same time, horses now-a-days are as capable of running four-mile 
heats with 10 stone on their backs as they ever were. Well, then, forty 
years ago I recollect it was thought a miracle when a two-year-old won 
the Feather Plate at Newmarket. Now nothing else wins. I had much 
rather that the two-year-olds did not run in these races, but the fact I 
mention shows how the breed has improved. If the breed of horses has 
fallen off, buyers must certainly be extraordinary people, because they 
now give higher prices for thorough-bred horses than they ever gave 
before. Look at the prices fetched for yearlings at sales during the 
present year, including that of the Royal studs at Hampton Court. 
Depend upon it, the public don’t give these higher prices for brutes. 
(Hear, hear.) Among the starters tor the last Derby there were four or 
five of the finest horses that have run for many a year—certainly as fine 
as have run during my recollection. In my opinion there is nothing in 
the world like a thorough-bred English horse; and if you tried to pro¬ 
duce large coach-horses you certainly would not improve the breed. I 
recollect the match of 200 miles in ten hours that Mr. Qsbaldeston won 
at Newmarket. Did he choose great hunters or strong half-bred horses ? 
Not at all. Every horse he rode was a thorough-bred, and he did not 
care what they were ; he took any horse which had had any training, and 
never varied in this choice. He rode each horse four miles, his riding 
weight being 10 stone. One horse carried him four times. It went 16 
miles in 32 minutes, and no half-bred horse would ever have done that. 
Well, then, hon. members say, “ Why should the public give this money 
for Queen’s Plates ?” Now, I am prepared to make this proposal to the 
GovernmentThey give £3300 a year in Queen’s Plates. But they 
