TWO-YEAR-OLD RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2373, 24 August 1899, Page 36

TWO- YEAR-OLD RACING.

Mr Vincent Dowling thus replies to " Cosmopolite," who endeavours to point out that early two-year-old racing is not prejudicial to the interests of producing good horses : — It is a perfectly well-known fact that a large number of good horses have raced as two-year-olds ; but what about the very much larger number that have given way under the strain, and never gave the owners an opportunity of learning what they might have developed into had they not been raced off their legs before the bone and muscle had come to maturity ? " Cosmopolite " gives the names of several good performers who managed to stand the strain, and mentions two or three who distinguished themselves as having made their first appearances as three-year-olds ; among them Nordenfeldt, who was forced to retire on his laurels before having a chance to compete for championship honours. It may be pointed out that the laurels were good wreaths, viz., the A.J.O. and Victoria Derbys and only missed the Hawkesbury Guineas by a fluke ; but Nordenfeldt, as a matter of fact, had naturally badly-formed legs, and would not have stood much work, no matter when broken. Many other excellent performers might have been added to the list, one notably, the famous Jorrocks, than whom we have never seen a better horse on the turf. He raced under all sorts of weights over all sorts of distances, and was sound as a bell at 20 years of age. The late Hon James White's successes with two-year-olds is referred to, and two-year-old racing is to be commended in consequence. I am quite certain that in his own mind Mr White never thought for one moment the early training of youngsters was an advantage or an assistance to the production of sound lasting horses. He was too good a judge and had had horses too long not to know nil the disabilities attached to working horses before they were able to stand the strain. As a racing man, he had to take things as he found them ; and his success is attributable to his excellent judgment, and the capacity of his trainers, to say nothing of his breeding good ones himself and purchasing good ones when h.3 desired to do so. " Cosmopolite " says Mr White frequently obtained big prices for two-year-olds of his own breeding after having raced them right out through the sea-son Very few of them did any good after leaving his stable. "To the initialed this is readily understood." " Cosmopolite " has not advanced one argument in favour of early two-year-old racing. What has been done should continue — that is about all he has said ; while I maintain that early racing is absolutely against the production of good, sound, lasting horses, though it may be at present an advantage to some breeders who desire to get rid of their foals as speedily as possible, and it probably suits the betting and gambling element of the turf.