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1 , , 1 1 1 ; i i THREE GRAND ENGLISH RACE HORSES. The announcement that Sceptre, if all goes well, is to be mated in 1013 with Swynford Is vastly interesting, for such mating would be, even ou paper, almost as perfect as possible, and when the individual mates are considered how can we better them? I am never carried away by the horse of the moment and though subject, like all human beings, to error I do not readilv accept any horse as a champion. I never accepted Lcmberg as such, though 1 am sure that witli a free run he would have won the St. Leger. Swynford that day could not get a yaw over a mile and a half in high-class company, and Lemberg could that is where people even now are running into mistakes. The story of last years bt. Leger is little understood, but it was one of the best races Frank Wootton ever" rode. It "Was well known that Swynford would go to the front and run his own race, and it was equally well known at that time that he was too immature really to carry his i own weight over the St. Leger course. That was the crux of the whole business, and Wootton had to let his mount go. keeping such tender check ou him as lie could, while fully advised that at that time the Leger course was beyond his compass. He just squeaked home, and now what would any handicap-per ask him to give Bronziiio, which was second I think, if thev met at 21 pounds,. Bronzino would not be favorite, nor do I think he would win. I have no desire to depreciate Bronzino. which is a verv useful horse indeed, hut Swynford is one such as I really cannot call to mind for power, bone, action, resolute character and splendid breeding. Isaac Earnshaw, the famous Australian trainer, who is on a visit to England, told me yesterday lie had spent a long time looking at Swynford, and had been absolutely unable to find a fault in him. We have seen three really great race horses in this century Spearmint, Bayardo and Swynford. Which was the best of these three no one will ever know; hut Spearmint did not compare with either as an individual, though he was absolutely brilliant as a race horse and seems likely to prove so as a sire. Mr. Gilpin and -Major Loder will remember how went over the Clarehaven stable one evening in the spring of that year, and was shown Admirable Crichton my own Figure choice and others, including Spearmint. I spotted -Spearmint for the Derby without mv attention being called to him. Not only that, but I made sure from Spearmints gallops with Pretty Polly, several of which I saw, that he must be a phenomenal three-year-old, which he certainly was. As to Swynford and Bayardo, I think these two are horses which, as Mr. Tattersall says, come only about once in twenty-five years. There is really no reason to raise invidious distinctions between these two horses, for Bayardo has at present the best record, and it is a smashing record over any distanpe, but Swynford may, likely enough, run on throughout next season, and if he does, woe betide Ills opponents for the Ascot Cup, which he is morally certain to win. Those in whose view the latest good horse is always the best will doubtless scoff at the idea of Bayardo being as good as Swvnford. but that will not be in accord with properly balanced judgment. Swynford is. of course, a more commanding horse than Bayardo, but would be impossible to find a more truly made one than the latter, and as for performances what have we ever seen better than Bayardos Ascot Cup victory?. It is not so much that he won as the wav in which lie won and the time in which he won that I refer to. He and Swynford are horses such absolutely different type that comparison them as individuals is practically out of the question, but, as already stated, Swynford has yet equal Bayardos racing record; that he can go one better is almost impossible. Some horses have many defeats forgiven them; others are not so fortunate. There is a tendency to judge Bayardo solely- on his last race, when ho failed to win the Goodwood Cup. This is altogether unfair, as anyone must admit who reflects on the arduous career through which the son of Bay Ronald has passed, and his many brilliant victories which came before that failure. Swynford we all witli one consent cheerfully excuse for that part of his career which was not brilliant, and when he has won the Ascot Cup he can rank peer with Bayardo but not before. It may lie said that the aliove dissertation does not concern coming events, but that is just what it does do, for I am well satisfied that .many and great coining events are contingent on the stud careers Of Spearmint. Bayardo and Swynford. and the greatest of all such events would be the birth in 1014 of a fine, healthy colt-foal by Swynford. out of Sceptre. Special Commissioner in London Sportsman. ! : . , i i i l ! i j I ; ; ; 1 . f f a y. V 2 J ; :, a : it A : i lt r. of of tj to !j e y f if I, ,. : ,. t as ; d 7, ls ii . Z
