Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-08-29
The Reasons for the American Horses
being Beaten Gilpatfick's Statement.


Gilpatrick, who rode one of Mr.. Ten Bro
eck's horses in the race for the Goodw
! Cup, has considered il necessary to make O
statement to exonerate himself from blame
In letter TO Porters Spirit Of the Times, he
says: ti )
left New York June 20 engaged by Mr..
Ten Brock to ride either one or other of his
horses in the Goodwood Cup race. ! arrived
at Southampton on the 30th of June, and
Immediately departed for our training stable
at Stockbridge, which reached the following
day. l saw the horses Prior and Prioress.
| The former had just recovered from a lung
fever, and had been galloped, Mr.. Palmer
told me, if | recolect right, but three times
previous to my arrival. Proress had also
been ailng, but seemed in better condition
than Prior, who, though he looked pretty
enough, to the eye Of an ordinary spectator,
was in no racing trim whatever. ] immedi-
ately set to work exercising Pryor, whom
found incapable of extending himself; in fact,
the horse seemed tied up, which facts forth
with communicated to Mr.. Ten Brock be
did not seem TO listen to my comments, and
made ME no satisfactory reply.
Matters remained in this state until about
the 10th Of July, when our first trial took
place the distance was nemile and half,
| rode Prioress alone for the first half mile,
when Prior, ridden by Littlefcld, Joined in
he beat the mare to the stand, she tiring
badly, and showing signs of leg wenriness.
Things went on in the same way te the next
trial, which took place on the 25th of July,
over the same track. again rode the mare !;
the trial was two miles; Prior running the
entire distance and Prioress joining in for
the last mile aud o, yalf The mare beat
Prior about two lengths in this trial. bu:
exhibited the same symptoms of leg weari-
ness on the previous occasion.
On the following Saturday we left for
Goodwood. Mr. Ten Brock stopped with
the horses there was much talk among our
selves about the prospects of the horses, but
nothing transpred of interest to the public.
On Monday morning we commenced galloping
on the Goodwood Course which gallops we
repeated every morning until that Of the
race. Mr.. Ten Broeck walked round the
Cup Course with US, and some conversation
took place as to the best ground for us to run
on, especially the mare, as she was such
long strider, that we wanted to obtain the
smoothest possible place for her to run on.
Mr.. Ten Brock pointed out to ire those
portions OF the track he thought best suited
to the mare, as the smoothest and most free
from undulations, which might throw her out
of her stride, and accordingly, on the day Of
the race, ], in obedience to his directions,
swung out of the beaten path, followed by
the other horses, in order to obtain ground
more suitable to the mares peculiarly Of
stride.
On the morning of the race, my orders ,rere
to make Sior, or ~hdt English jockeys call
"a 'cdittng race" Of it--further, not to take
the lead, or force the running, if could help
it, with Prioress.
The start took place we all went at bad
pace for the first half mile; Prioress, unlike
ordinary horses, when put to a gallop. from
her length of stride, cannot 60 slow, and the
spite of myself was forced to take the lead,
which maintained to the second turn going
out, up to which time i had kept the inside
OF the track, the others taking the outside.
then gradually bent across the track as had
been agreed upon, which brought me q little
outside Of the others, who retained their orr
ginal position. We ran in this way at bad
pace, to the top Of the hill when we arrived
here, the mare appeared TO be very fresh, and
thought would make a good run home.
The pace now began to increase. ] kept
with .hem TO the turn in to the straight run
in, when still greater improvement in speed
took place At the half distance they began
to quit me, and when within n hundred and
fifty yards of the stand, | found the mare
give way, and in few strides more she was
gone all to pieces" which ! imagine every
body present perceived. Here was an end
Of the race--the mare being physically inca
pable, from want of condition, Of doing any
better. As to Prior, with neither speed nor
bottom, he had not the ghost of chance in
any part Of the race.
| have been accused Of losing ground in
the race If did so, it was in compliance
with Mr.. Ten Broeck's directions as to those
portions of the track to be taken to suit the
mare and whatever ground ] may have lost
in this way, l more than made up subse-
quently. The simple fact is, the horses we're
worn ont with long and useless kind of work
During nearly twelvemonth previously, they
had ncrer ercn had a Swedt $50 the boys told
mel tram the time they landed, until / drrired
in Eqglaad. The consequences may be i'm
agined namely, want of all condition. and
absolute need of rest-thcy were full Of fat
burnt up inside, leg weary, and had no vitality
in them.
In conclusion, | have no hesitation in as
serting that had our horses been properly
taken care of from the commencement
carefully trained, and brought to the post in
anything like the condition we have seen
them exhibit at home-that either of them
could and would have won the Goodwood cup
easily At the time Of my leaving, there was
no probability of either of the horses-P Prior,
Prioress, or Lecomte, running at Brighton or
Lewes. Indeed, | think it doubtful if the
American horses will appear again prior to
the four mile race over the Beacon course, at
the Newmarket Houghton meeting in Octo-
Der.