SPORTING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3151, 12 March 1889, Page 2

SPORTING.

The returns just published by 'tlia Seere-. taries ot the Jockey Clnb show that upwards oitwo; thousand • thoroughbreds were tied in England tluring the' past year, this being exclusive of the produce of mares .which wpre exported.: Altogether something like four .thousand thoroughbred mares found their place.in the stud book, and their produce,-to tho number of 2,123,' took part in the 1,589 races run during the year. The uuniber of race's aotually tun was fewer by nearly: a hundred than it was three or four yoart/ago;. and this dccreaso.has occurred in race's ran 1 over'lohg distances, especially in those-of between : three and four miles It follows, almost as a matter,of course, tliat there should also bea'deorease in the number of three an4-:fotif' 'year iold com' petitors | for'the short distance rades whioh' now have acquired such'a preponderaiice in. the racing programmes are .to a great extent competed fer by two-year.olds,; It.is eigniflcant'of. the ;■<"change iwhich. has occurred in what .may be called- the ceon6my of racing that while. at 'the beginning of the century the two-year-olds numbered only 31,- or one in 'about eighteen' of the .546 vuß.new, tliey now number 940 out ; of; 2,123, or nearly one half, . It Knot suiiirismg '. tliat,;' Bueh:. being r th6-; Ebse; frequent complaints' should be heard that while the-thoroughbred of the present day is . speedier than ever, lie has not . tho stamina of his ancestors. Early maturity is-all very well—from tho point of o.f tho.,breeder,- not'the cattle and sheep; it is not. so .desirable in the case of the thoroughbred. . .. .■ •