The encyclopaedia of sport (1897) (14784057655)

Isinglass Winning the Derby
Identifier: encyclopaediaofs02suff (find matches)
Title: The encyclopaedia of sport
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Suffolk and Berkshire, Henry Charles Howard, Earl of, 1833-1898 Peek, Hedley Aflalo, Frederick G. (Frederick George), 1870-1918
Subjects: Horses Sports Games
Publisher: London : Lawrence and Bullen
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University



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y to dwellon the immeasurable impetus which has beengiven to the sport by the introduction of rail-ways, telegraphs, and the modern increase ofnewspapers. A few words may be interpolated as to theserviceability of racing as a means to an end.The English thoroughbred horse is the mostvaluable animal in the world. Five thousandfive hundred guineas was paid for La Fleche asa yearling, and as a brood mare she fetched14,500 guineas ; 30,000 guineas was refused forOrmonde ; that sum would not have boughtIsinglass, and it is credibly reported that signedcheques with blanks left for figures have beenproffered to the lucky possessors of otherfamous animals. The only method by whichthe excellence of a horse can be demonstratedis by racing him. Opponents of the sport, whodo not fail to recognise the value of the blood,have expressed the belief that the exhibition ofracehorses at agricultural shows and similarfunctions would meet every requirement; butthis is not the case, for the reason that the
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^ ^ ■■) THE ENCYCI.OP.^<:i)IA OF SPORT 179 creatures worth depends upon the possessioji of•other than external qualities. ()ne does notwant a horse merely to look at. Make andshape are not to be despised, but the greatpoint is whether the horse has speed, stamina,constitution, soundness, and other attributescalculated to render its offspring worthy up-holders of the family ; and this can only beascertained by submitting the animals to theordeal of preparation and testing them on thecourse. An infusion of thoroughbred bloodconfers special and peculiar benefits on those soendowed, whether chargers, hunters, hacks, orcarriage horses. The fact has been constantlymade obvious when horses of what may bedescribed as the royal strain have drifted out oftheir own class and been put to try conclusionswith their coarser bred cousins. The blood horse—thoroughbred or even half-bred—thatcomes to carry a soldier or a sportsman in thehunting-field may not have the si^e and scope<jf so