"1769-Petruchio, Hemp, Caliban, and Exotic, ran the B. C. in 8m 463 (no weights named).

Goldfinder, Petruchio, Poacher, and Pacolet (four-years old, 7 st. 7 lb., beat a long way), ran the B. C. in 8m 49 (no weights named).

"1770. Goldfinder, six-years old, 9 st. 91b., won a race, B. C., in 8m 29′′. "N.B.-Goldfinder won fifteen times, was never beaten, and was the best horse of his year."

I am indebted for these extracts to a writer in the " American Turf Register," who states that he made them himself from a MS. journal kept, as before stated, by old Thomas Robson, who trained for Lords Bolingbroke, Claremont, Grosvenor, and other distinguished racing men of the last century. I proceed to borrow from him as I go on. "Here we have eight races over the Beacon Course, four miles, one furlong, and one hundred and thirty-eight yards; the average of time being 8:37 for that distance, which is equal to an average of 8: 12 for four miles, with the comparatively light weights of the day." Now, there can be no doubt, as my authority assumes, that these were among the best performances of the date to which they belong; so, giving the race of the olden time all the benefit of these picked issues, we pass over half a century, and take the subjoined results of a series of well-attested races for the Royal Plate over the Round Course, at Newmarket, which at present measures three miles, four furlongs, and one hundred and eighty-seven yards.

1821-Caroline, filly, three-years old, 9 st. 2 lb..... 1822-Luss, filly, four-years old, 10 st. 2 lb.

Centaur, four-years old, 11 st. 2 lb. (match)

1823-Centaur, five-years old, 11 st. 10 lb. (plate) Hampden, four-years old, 11 st. 2 lb.

1824-Premium, four-years old, 11 st. 5 lb.

1825 Double Entendre, four-years old, 11 st. 5 lb. 1829-Souvenir, filly, four-years old, 10 st. 2 lb.

Cadland, four-years old, 11 st. 5 lb.

1830-Toso, filly, five-years old, 10 st. 6 lb. Gayhurst, four-years old, 11 st. 5 lb.

1831-Lucetta, filly, four-years old, 10 st. 2 lb.
Shumla, four-years old, 11 st. 5 lb. (second heat)

1832 Priam, four-years old, 11 st. 12 lb.

Lucetta, five-years old, 10 st.

1834-Vespa

Little Red Rover

8 lb.

6 44

7 3

Averaging 7: 14 for three miles, four furlongs, and one hundred and thirty-seven yards, which is equal to 8: 1 for four miles; or an average of 10 sec. better time in the same distance; our four-year-olds giving, on the most moderate calculation, 21 lb. to the best six-year-old of 1770! Neither is it fair to leave our proposition here. Every one conversant with the turf in the present day is aware that a contest between first-rate horses for a £100 Plate, at Newmarket, is rarely if ever seen. One first-class horse of the year comes out for such a race, makes his own running, and wins in a canter; or a few third

Not

raters shew for it, and finish with a spirited struggle at the pace. thus was it with the heavy matches of seventy years ago. In those, the best use was made of every yard of ground, and where one was disposed to wait, his adversary's game was to begin and end at score.

Thus, from data which admit of no reasonable question, I have shewn that the properties of the British race-horse have advanced in excellence from the earliest authentic records existing of him. That the system, by which this was brought about was sound and wholesome, is a natural deduction. Not alone did the policy of its construction work well for the interests of the turf in its national relation, but the rules and principles which it laid down all tended to support horseracing in the legitimate character of the sport of a gentleman. Under these auspices it went on and prospered. Does the future offer omens of equal promise? We may take it as granted, that the motive for breeding or keeping race-horses is one either of profit or pleasure. Both these ends were attained by the possession of animals of the greatest excellence. He who reared thorough-bred stock for gain won the most money, or commanded the best prices, according to the perfection of his stud; while he who sought fame was sure of his reward, could he bring the best courser to the post when "the race was to the swift." Is such the case now? In the majority of instances it is the reverse. Already has the fatal taste of the day for the Handicap given "a great discouragement" to the true English sport of horse-racing. Already has it substituted the inebriating passion of "betting round" for the honest exaltation of winning by the stirring achievment of the noblest animal in creation. Already has it furnished proof enough, and to spare, that a bad horse well managed is a safer investment than Eclipse, could we launch him once more in his prime on the sod of the B. C. As my space warns me to a conclusion for the present, I will offer an instance of the latter that will tolerably well illustrate my argument. At the Goodwood Meeting of 1839, H. R. H. the Duke of Orleans purchased Beggarman for 400 sovs. At Doncaster, in the subsequent month, I met one of the duke's servants, whose errand there was to buy Lanercost. He failed in his mission, after having bid £1200 for him. Now mark the results. At Goodwood Meeting, in the present season, Beggarman won the Cup, beating that same Lanercost, for whom his royal highness had the year before offered three times the price which he paid for the winner!

(To be concluded in our next.)

408

TATTERSALL'S LIST.

BETTINGS FOR NOVEMBER.

As

As we anticipated in our last, a strong field of horses were backed during the past month for the Derby, the only event upon which any public business was done. As our limits do not allow of all the quotations being given, we confine our list of the odds in November to the last day's betting at Tattersall's within the compass of our necessity of going to press. on that day the Great Northampton Steeple Chase, it will be seen, was run for, the attendance at Hyde Park Corner was under the general average. It is impossible to draw a distinct line between the Rosalie colt and Cameleon, as, though there appears a point against the latter in the odds given below, they were backed against each other several times at even. Several outsiders were inquired after; but the actual bargains made were confined to the subjoined list:

The DERBY.-17 to 1 agst. Lord Bruce's Rosalie colt; 18 to 1 agst. Col. Peel's Cameleon; 20 to 1 agst. Mr. W. Scott's Marshal Soult (tk.); 20 to 1 agst. Mr. Thornhill's Eringo (tk.); 30 to 1 agst. the Duke of Rutland's Sir Hans; 33 to 1 agst. Mr. Wreford's Wahab (tk.); 50 to 1 agst. General Yates's Simoom (tk.); 2000 to 30 agst. Lord Chesterfield's Gammon Box (tk.); 1000 to 15 agst. Mr. Wimbush's Finchley; 1000 to 14 agst. Colonel Crawford's Ermangardis (tk.); 1000 to 10 agst. Col. Anson's Traffic (tk.); 1000 even Rosalie agst. Cameleon; 1100 to 1000 on Cameleon agst. Eringo (tk).

200 on Sir Hans agst, each of the following in one bet :-Rosalie colt, Eringo, Coronation, Cameleon, Marshal Soult, Ralph, Prince Caradoc, Joachim, brother to Tom, and Wahab.

200 on Prince Caradoc agst. each of 10 in one bet, and the same horses taken, except Prince Caradoc and Wahab, for whom the Duke of Wellington and Knight of the Whistle were substituted.

GREAT NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STEEPLE-CHASE.

THIS event came off on Thursday, 26th ult., over four miles of a fair hunting country, commencing at Pitsford, six miles from Northampton. The line led over Baixworth Brook, and, returning the same way, finished at the starting-post. The following started :

A fine race between the two first ended in favour of Cigar by a short length: the others were well up. Cigar was the favourite.

THE BITER BIT.

THIS very clever picture tells its own story much better than we could do it. The conception and treatment of the subject do Mr. Bateman great credit, and must add to his fame. We cannot avoid congratulating Mr. Prior, the engraver, on the manner in which he has caught the spirit and character of his original.