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GREAT GROWTH OF FRENCH RACING. The leading racing society in France — tlie Soeiete dFncouragement — has, with justifiable pride, traced iis rise to fame in the form of "statistical observations" in its new official calendar for the year. A dig into those "statistical observations" reveals fuels which speak with more eloquence than theoretical appreciations. When the society which now governs racing at Longchamps. Claptillv. etc.. was founded in 1S33, only thirty horses ran in France that season. , The number had increased to MP in 1S:!0. to 1.000 _,„ in 1SPO. and to 2.000 in ISftft. The record of 2.412 was reached in 1902. and siirce then the number hii-l«-e» well up to the average — 2. "0" horses ran ii. lftOK In P.HI7 the number was 2.2ft.». These do not include steeplechasers nor hurdlers: in fact, this lucrative and prosperous form of raring across the channel is not inchnled in any of the statistics minted. Compared with the 2.ftft! horses which ran on the flat in France during that sea sou. ".OftS ran in Kngland. Last season ..51!. o 15 was shared among the winning owners at all the race courses in liicii Britain, and this BBSS, showed an Increase of 7.663 on the 1907 aggregate. These figures do not include second and third nionev. Altogether. 1.72S races wore decided at forty-eight race courses, there being 2S2 dalb/ meetings. Ill Frame, during a similar period, I.Sir, ra.es were decided, and successful owners and breeders received .S2:i.,.i45. Lacing, too. is a very serious affair with the lesser known provincial societies, and though the Parisian horses are rarely sent to run at these meetings, on account of the stakes being lompaia lively small, there were 7:!2 days of racing at M3 different race courses iu France last year, when 2. 112 races were decided. There are now 1.710 races worth ,580.0001 in France Open only to horses born and bred in that country, while 136 races worth 8243.0001 are of an international character.
