The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-16
DISCOURSES ON
TURF EVENTS IN BRITAIN

Special Cable to The Globe
4 LONDON, APRIL ia curiously in
structive admission was made by Leopold
de Rothschild in a recently published
letter.
Racing is business nowadays with
one and all, he wrote. land IL is an un-
come over the turf of late years.
The spirit of healthy emulation is di-
minishing, almost. IL sometimes appears.
TO vanishing point Formerly owners. or
raced to win: now they race to win
money. Such intense rivalry as that for
instance, which led to the famous match
between Lord Zetland's Voltigeur and
Lord Egiinton's Flying Dutchman in 1851
Is known TO this generation. II was evi-
IDENTIFY then felt that victory would be a
species of personal triumph for the house
of Dundas. or Montgomerie, and though
IL is recorded that the betting was
enormous with many partisans the
money wagered was far from the chief
consideration. No similar sentiments are
ever evoked at the present day. For one
man who took an interest in the turf half
century since there are probably at
least score who do so now; but it is in
different way, most of them caring lit
tie or nothing about the horse as an ami
mai, or as the representative OF a popu-
lar owner. but much about him as a con-
venient gambling machine.
Hangs on the King
There are some people who go so far
as to express the belief that il the king
Withdrew his personal cooperation the
turf would come near to collaspe but this
is surely an ultra pessimistic view. The
sport rests upon a very solid foundation,
as glance at the list of those who en-
tered horses for the Derby that is to be
run on May 81 sufficiently shows: and IL
is gratifying TO observe some of the same
names as were found among the nominal
tors OF twenty-five years ago. For the
great race of 1880 there were 264 subscrip-
tons; for the coming Derby there were
297. and the owners include besides the
king-who has. unfortunately. two hope
lessly bad animals left in after payment
OF forfeit. out of five originally engaged
the dukes of Devonshire. Portland and
Westminster, Lords Bradford. Cadogan.
Carnarvon, Clonmell. Crewe. Derby, Dull
Walden. Leicester, Rosebery Stenley
Wolverton and Zetland. four members of
the house of Rothschild. and a contingent
OF country gentlemen They can be small
fear of collapse while the support of sucn
men is forthcoming. and the South Afri-
can and Australian millionaiTes who have
lately set up stables spend large sums.
Rosues on the Increase
The alleged decadence of the modern
thoroughbred is frequent subject of re-
gret. but 1t is by no means certain that
the breed is deteriorating. In 1879 again
to go back for quarter of a century. the
number of horses that ran was Ills; last
year S'Ol7 Went to the post TO compete
Tor the S523, $50 that was won in stakes
on the fat. Out of so many it is inevita-
BILE that there should be a proportion of
bad ones, who cannot gallop. or suffer
from infirmities of limbs, wind or dispo..
sition-for the proportion of 'rogues'
seems TO increase; on the other hand.
though there are no direct means of COM
parison between the horses of today and
of former periods, good reason exists for
the belief that the best among contem-
poraries are not inferior TO their prede-
cessors. with the possible exceptions of a
few animals of superlative excellence.
such as Gallopin. st. Simon. Ormonde.
and perhaps few others; for certain own
ers and trainers have had special ia
yorites whom they have always stead
fastly proclaimed TO be without peers A
better mare than Pretty Polly one SELL
dom ever sees; her speed is phenomenai.