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RACING IN ENGLAND IS COSTLY It is recognized that racing on the flat in England is anything but a poor mans sport The prize money for classic and important weightforage races is in most cases furnished by owners in the way of forfeits and sweepstakes and where there is added money the entrance fees are generally heavy Since the outbreak of the war several Helgian horses have competed in England and their respective owners have discovered that racing for prizemoney alone is out of the question in that coun ¬ try Le Helg Spurt which is being temporarily published in London iuau article concerning tne impression racing in Kngland has made on Helgiau owners says saysIn In all our horses have only won one race which rWasSJiotaelJliis event JMeduseJ JMeduseJand and Kiiffles V Itiiir Panzi aifil Mofat whiciniave liooir siiicess ful in races of that description brought iu allo cation and sab price combined sums which did not represent the half of their value valueThe The prize won by Meduse exactly balanced the entry fees paid by M Mathieu for his horses since their importation into ireat Britain and the ob ¬ vious conclusion from this state of affairs is that betting must be absolutely relied ujxin in order to meet expenses in England The expenses are enormous the stakes unimportant the eiigagemenls are onerous and must be made a considerable time ahead that is to say for the smaller handicaps and certain selling races they are extremely hazar ¬ dous since it is a matter of chance whether at the distant date of the race the horse entered can be run runAs As to overnight selling races it is necessary to despatch horses usually for a considerable dis ¬ tance without even knowing what opposition they are to encounter encounterNevertheless Nevertheless it is fortunate that we have been able to gain this experience of English racing It has in effect ineonteslably established that our breed is up t the standard of those of our neigh ¬ bors of France and beyond the Channel and as it has always been decried even at home this cri terlon was necessary
