RACING ON HARD GROUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2336, 8 December 1898, Page 32

RACING ON HARD GROUND.

Among English racing men there is a feeling that long distance races should be run only in the spring and autumn, as the generally hard state of the going between June and August results in the break-down of too many horses. In support of this contention one writer takes as an example the two longdistance races annually decided at Ascot, the Gold Cup and Alexandra Plate. He says that last year Persimmon was so jarred by the hard around that it was with the greatest difficulty Marsh got him to the post for me Eclipse Stakes, and after that event he was never trained again. Winkfield's Pride has completely lost his form since that great race at Ascot last year. Love Wisely has never carried silk since, and Limasol, the heroine of the Oaks, has been made useless for racing. St. Bris has broken down, whilst Pride, who won both the above-mentioned races, never started after. He adds that in years gone by, when two great horses, Stockwell and i>ewminster, each stood at 30gs a mare, one could afford to risk breaking down a few horses on the hard ground for long-distance races; but not many people nowadays would be foolish enough to run the risk with a colt by _ St. Simon or Isinglass, whose two subscriptions amount to 800gs, irrespective of barren mares.