HORSE-RACING

THE SPORT OF KINGS

A sport of ancient origin, having been practised among the Greeks and Romans. The institution of horse-races in England belongs to a very remote period. The first regular horse-races, however, did not take place till the reign of James I. The priz then consisted of a gold or silver bell, whence we have the expression 'to bear away the bell' The successors of James I. down to Queen Anne were all more or less attached to the sport. Races were held in several parks around London. e.g. Kempton, Sandown and Hurst. Ascot and Goodwood are race meetings especially famous as social functions. Under George I horse-racing became more and more flourishing, and the sport continued to grow in importance during the remainder of the century. The two moot celebrated horses of that period were Flying Childers (foaled in 1715) and Eclipse (foaled in 1764), which long had the reputation of being the fleetest horses that ever ran. The former ran four miles in 6 min.. 48 sec., carrying 9 st. 2 lbs. The latter was never beaten. None of the English sovereigns was more devoted to horse-racing than George IV. Between 1784 and 1792, while yet Prince of Wales, he gained 185 prizes, including the Derby of 1788.

The principal varieties of horse-racing are :-

1.	flat-racing, or racing on level ground;
2.	steeple-chasing, or racing over ground not specially prepared for the purpose;
3.	hurdle-racing, in which the horses have to leap over obstacles purposely placed in the way;
4.	match trotting.

This last kind of race is a very favourite one in America where the best trotting horses are to be found, but in England it is not much practised.

Steeple-chases and hurdle-races take place in the winter months, the chief English event of the season being the Grand National Steeple-chase, run over a course of 4 miles 1000 yards at Aintree, near Liverpool.

Formerly all races were what is called weight-for-age races, that is, a specified difference in weight was conceded by the older horses. But it was found that when races were conducted on this plan the best horses came to be known, and the inferior ones withdrew, not venturing to compete with them, so that the race resulted in a walk-over.

Hence arose the practice of handicapping, that is, of adjusting as nearly as possible the weight to be carried to the previously ascertained powers of the horse, so as to reduce the chances of all the horses entered to an exact equality. In most races the horses are handicapped.

Since this handicap races have become a very favourite sport.

The five classic races are

1.	The Derby at Epsom
2.	The Oaks at Epsom
3.	The St. Leger at Doncaster
4.	The Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket
5.	The One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket

The courses vary from half a mile to two miles or a little more. For the three year-olds the principal for both colts and fillies are the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and St. Leger, and, for fillies only, the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks.

The principal weight-for-age for two-year-olds is the Middle Park Plate. The most important handicap races are the Great Northampton Stakes, the City and Suburban and Metropolitan Stakes at Epsom, the Northumberland Plate, the Good-wood Stakes, the Ascot Stakes, the Ebor Handicap (run at York), the Great Yorkshire Stakes (run at Doncaster), the Liverpool Spring, Summer, and Autumn Cups, the Czarewitch, Cambridgeshire, and Newmarket Handicaps (run at Newmarket).

The chief racing meetings are those at Ascot in Berkshire, Chester, Doncaster, Epsom, near London, Goodwood, Sandown Park, and Newmarket. A feature of all horse races is the betting, through bookmakers, which has been made legal in Great Britain, at these meetings enormous sums of money change hands, usually in favour of the bookmaker, who offers low odds on the most likely horse to win.

The rules guiding flat-racing in Britain are framed by the Jockey Club, founded in 1750, and whose list of membership includes the names of the leading noblemen and gentlemen of the sporting world.

In addition to flat racing, hurdle or obstacle races are held at various centres. The chief of these is the Grand National.

The Grand National Hunt Committee, govern all steeple-chasing and hurdle-racing events; while the rules of betting are nominally under the control of the Committee of Tattersall's Subscription Rooms.

Race horses are specially bred and are desecended from Arab horses imported into England. The breeding of thoroughbred horses is often a very profitable business. The pedigrees of all thoroughbred horses are registered in the stud-book, so that if any particular animal is omitted in that register the inference is that its pedigree is not without some blemish more or less remote. Training stables are at Newmarket, Epsom, Doncaster and on the Berkshire Downs.

Horse-racing was introduced into France from England, and during the reign of Louis XIV., and still more during that of Louis XV., was pursued with the utmost enthusiasm. The revolution put an end to it for a time, but the sport was revived by Napoleon. Horse-races, mostly upon the English model, have also been introduced into various other countries.

Races are held at Auteuil and other places near Paris. The principal racing meetings, are those held in spring and autumn at Chantilly and the Bois de Boulogne. The chief events are the Grand Prix de Paris, the Prix du Jockey Club(the French Derby), and the Prix de Diane (the French Oaks).

In Ireland the chief racing centres are the Curragh and Leopardstown, in Australia Sydney.