RACING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1861, 22 July 1887, Page 31

RACING NOTES.

The Origin of Racing— Bacing in the Reign of Elizabeth— The First Arabian Horse in England-Queen Anne's Horses-Qualifi-cations of a Trainer— Touters and Tipsters.

Whyte says:— "The earliest mention of racehorses, or, as they were called in those days, runninghorses, in our national annals, are those of the ninth century sent by Hugh, founder of the Eoyal House of Capet, in France, as a present to King Athelstane, whose sister, Ethelswithe, he was soliciting in marriage. When William the Norman conquered this country, the breed of horses was considerably improved. Many were brought, from Normandy and other countries. Rodger de Belesure. Earl of Shrewsbury, in particular, rendered this nation essential services by introducing the stallions of Spain into his estate of Bowsland. From them a breed was cultivated whose perfections have been Celebrated by Giroldus, Cambrensis, and Dray ton. In the reign of Henry II tournaments and horse races began to be frequent exhibitions ; and Smithfield, which was the first market in England for every denomination of horses, was the theatre of these sports and exercises. . . . Edward 111 bought runninghorses at the price or £13 6s 8d each — equal to £160 in the money of the present day. He received a present of two f enclnghorses from the King of Navarre, and gave 100s to the person who brought them."

As far as racing is concerned, it ceased to be a great public amusement during the reign of Elizabeth. No mention is made of the sport as forming part of the amusements which were provided for the Sovereign during her visit to Lord Leicester at Kenilworth, and Commenino says that in 1590 tilting or quintan is used, when a ring is stuck with a truncheon, instead of horseracing, which, he adds, is grown out of fashion.

During the reign of James I public races were established, and such horses as had given proof of superior abilities "became known and celebrated, and their pedigrees as well as that of their posterity (in imitation, perhaps, pf the Arabian manner) preserved and recorded with the minutest exactness. The races were then conducted upon the same principles, and nearly on the same rules as at present, and the horses were prepared for running by the discipline of

i. t ■ ■•„'»• tr .»■• ■! ■ -. )m food, phasic, airing, sweating, and clothing. %£7.-we_fehfr to tb/e parried w.aa t alfip rigidj!y x adjil&ted, diidifcbe usual weight of a ridet was stated at lOsfci ■■■.'! -. / t .•/,»/ King James bought, afl Arabia!} horse, «£ one Mt Maxkljamv a merqhanfc.ifor.whip^^cj gave £,5001 'Jtr was the first of tihat poahtrjr which! had been seen in England. „, .. «, n The Duke of Newcastle, in his treatise on horsemanship, says he saw the Arabian above-mentioned, and describes him as a small horse with a bay colour, and not very excellent With regard to shape — a description applicable to the famous horse since known as the Godolphin Arabian. ' - So touch had this great national amusefflgnt increased in favour with royalty to* wards the latter efld of tke reign of Queen Anne, that we find that sovereign not only increasing the number of royal plates, but actually running' for them in her own n'sime':

A trainer mflsfc fee sober and vigilant,- implicitly trfcstiflg no man but him6®!f> £et .appearing to repose the frankest Coiifl'deMe ifc iris grooms, while he exercises the Seeflest suirervision over them' Jie nntet be" as d*sc*eet a» fli« UMf i£tos& stM &0 &tti&a as Job's comforter?; SSfl lasly/ sln6& whatfevsr eI&S he, may or nfay not ddih^Will^o^tassftfedfy bet,: he must continue so t!o iejgtA&ie Ms investments that he may neither exefte alarni byjaipj losses nor jealousy by his TyinAings". Tdttts Me, v tMpy^who st«al at able secrets". .' . ..' The e'm^6yefs,df touts are, fflmpl^" receivers of stolen good's.' . / /. .\. IMb tb.^( slave trade of old, the openness oi the" w^^ renders it none the less abominable. Ittf suppression seems impossible, though the Jockey Club has issued some stern edicts on the subject. You cannot close public highways or footpaths, ncr can you always lock up stablemen, and if you'could, guis cuttodiet ipsos custodes. Tipsters are almost all swindlers, though to this rule there may bo exceptions. ... It must jbe clearly understood that in the above somewhat sweepiug denunciations of tipsters are not included the prophets of the sporting press. They ate generally wrong, as everyone miist be wii'o attempts the impossible feat of Darning fevery wifmef for essh da^'S. ra6rfig.J trtft aft least they do" ndi £r'e^ens to/ irtf alliMliV. ' Who does win all the mon.ey oil ihb turf ! is a question whick constantly suggests itself to the curious, and is asked even by man/ who have had some experience in its mysteries. The ring undoubtedly at first hand — into their pockets flows the perennial stream of the savings, or the superfluities of the backing million, and thence paoa manu; some portion is distributed amongst those whose acuteness, perseverrance, industry, and mayhap dishonesty, enable them successfully to Cote with what is almost an arithmetical riertaiiltjK 1 filtirbtit ioibttta:—lth.Q Badminton Library.