Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-05
AMERICAN VERSUS
ENGLISH RIDING
-------------------------
Maher Thinks John Bull is Much
Superior to the
Yankee.
AND HE GIVES HIS REASONS.
Declares the Britishcrs Arc Without
Doubt the Finest Sportsmen In
The World Today.

Jockey d. Maher. rider of the Eng
fish Derby this year. is a pronounced
convert to the superiority OF English
race horses and English race tracks
over the American article, according
TO a story in the Tattler, in which
the former Yankee Jockey discusses at
some length the broad subject OF
American VS. English racing.
The subject is one that will inter
est the followers of the runners in
this country. Maher says In part:
There was a time many years ago
when l was under the impression that
the racing in America was the finest
in the world. Since, however, l have
been riding In England l have quite
changed by Views on this subject and,
indeed, when / say that without a
shadow of doubt both English race
horses and race courses are absolute
ly top hole" feel that l am on safe
ground. Still. absurd though 1t seems.
I have met quite a big bunch of race
goers who hold the opinion that Eng
land is behind the times in racing as
in everything else"
This seems to be utterly absurd. for
while / think no one would accuse
John Bull of being a hustler yet every
one is agreed that he is the finest
sportsman in the world. and therefore
he sees TO 1t that the sporting world
is well catered for. In the first place.
the majority of English race courses
are in every respect up-to-date. and
as for Newmarket-well.I never want
to ride on a finer course and / am
also quite certain that / never shall.
The great eXpanse of green turf there
is always in perfect condition and to
those who love racing out OF sheeer
enthusiasm for the sport there is
something truly inspiring about the
course at Newmarket
AMERICAN RACE COURSES.
In America the race courses. or as
we call them tracks" are not laid
down with grass but--with a few ex-
ceptions-are dirt tracks which have
many drawbacks, in that Jockeys who
get badly away at the start or for
ruck have to put up with great deal
of back wash" in the shape of dust
showers thrown up by the leading
horses. AS can easily be imagined,
therefore. racing under such condi-
tons is far from ideal. and although
as an American / stick up for things
American yet I feel 1 should be emu
lating the example set by Ananias II
/ were to declare that the American
tracks are in any way as good as
English race courses.
Again, when comparing English
race horses with American the latter.
j think. do not come out any too
we'll, for only on very rare occasions
in the land of the Stars and Stripes
are such fine specimens of the thor
oughbred foaled as Rock Sand. Ard
Patrick, Spearmint-to say nothing
of equine wonders such as Pretty
Polly-all of which are anything from
IN 40 In, 80 l,
best American horses. BY the way
talking of Spearmint. I must indorse
the opinion of Bernard Dillon who
rode the son OF Carbine in the Grand
Pink In France this year. when he
says that Spearmint is the earnest
horse he has ever ridden.
THINGS MONEY CANNOT BUY.
Yes, America could do with a few
horses of the type / have mentioned,
although, of course, we have plenty of
useful thoroughbreads out there. Stil
We do not breed them on the whole as
good as English race horses. Why this
should be so 1t is difficult to explain,
for there are many American owners
who spare neither time nor money In
their favorite pastine; but after all
there are numerous things in this
world which money cannot buy, and
happiness and sterling good race horses
| are not the least among the number.
1t is often said that racing is not a
healthy pastime on account of the
gambling element which enters into II.
Personally / think this is a hopelessly
narrow-minded view to take of the
| finest sport in the world. but still the
fact remains that until doomsday many
people will hold this view. But would
like to say that in my opinion gam
bling over horse racing is not carried
on in England on such a large scale
as In America, where tens of thousands
of pounds frequently change hands
over small selling race.
In England the horses which are en-
tered in selling races are generally
mere Selling platers." but in America
horses far above selling plate form are
sometimes entered purely as medium