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SKELETONS OF SOME FAMOUS HORSES. On the above subj"-t that most genuine sports man, the Rev. Cecil iA-gard, has been good enough to send me the following note: In the "Sporting Times" today "Our Note Book," in giving an account of the skeletons of famous racehorses, mentions that of Eclipse as having been probably the first ever "set up," and it goes on to say that from his death "till the thirties in the last century is a wide jump to find mention of another skeleton of a great racehorse, viz., Touchstone, which won the St. Leger in 1834." The writer of the above "Vigilant" and "The Wizard" lias, however, omitted Blackloek, foaled in 1S14, of whose skeleton "The Druid" had a good deal to say in both "Post and Paddock" anil "Silk and Scarlet," page 231. At the end of the former of these bks a poetic allusion is made in his "Lay of Doncaster Moor," as follows: I sped my way towards Ebor and viewed before nightfall The skeleton of Blackloek at Bishop Burton Hall; That symmetry and slashing size, that large, coarse head. I ween Have found their best reflection in that Leger trumph, "The Queen,." "The Queen" is Queen of Trumps, which won the St. Leger. and was by Velocipede, a son of Black-lock, which she greatly resembled. Well, the skeleton of "the mighty Bishop Burton brown," as Blackloek was sometimes designated, has recently been carefully renovated, and is now under glass, with a suitable inscription detailing his own performances on the turf, and the distinguished "line" descended from him, which included Velocipede, which I, and I daresay you also, frequently heard John Scott describe as having been "the best horse he ever trained," and later on St. Simon, which I think you will agree with me, was the best horse we have ever seen. Pray make any use of this, as I really think Blackloek ought not to be left out. It would indeed be a sin of omission to leave out Blaeklocks skeleton from any discussion of such a subject, and I may say here that it is in my opinion to be regretted that more skeletons of great horses are not preserved at such places as Newmarket, Epsom, Malton, etc., as there is no horseman so experienced that he may not occasionally refresh his memory with advantage by looking at the bones of a horse. They never seem quite the same in books. I think the subject was first mooted through the Duke of Portlands kindly resolve to send the skeleton of Carbine to Australia, where the great son of Musket earned his undying fame. It may not be generally known that the skeleton of Trenton was sent there eight or nine years ago, and is set up in the museum at Melbourne, with a record of his many triumphs. It will be only fitting that the two best sons of Musket should thus come together again at last. Individually they were two quite different horses for Trenton took a great deal after his dams side of the family, and, like his maternal grandsire, Golds-brough, was essentially n sire of brood mares rather than of stallions. On the other hand. Carbine sired first-rate stallions, one of which, Wallace, is right at the top of the tree in Australia, while Spearmint, Wargrave, and Fowlingpiece have all done well in England. Personally I am not without relics of Trenton, one of which is his skin, which makes a beautiful rug it is such a perfect color and it lies under the billiard tabic, where it can be seen but not trodden on. Then, of course, there are hoofs, and, alas! how hoofs of favorite horses do accumulate as the year.? pass on! It becomes quite a problem how best to deal with them, as one does not want so many inkstands. Poor old Collar left only three hoofs that could be kept, and they are set heel to heel, shamrock-wise, and makes the base of a flower stand. Baliols hoofs support a "Calendar;" old Petronel furnished inkstands, so did Trenton. There are many others; but now practically all the old stagers have died off, and a horse like Javelin ought with ordinary luck to live for many years. W. Allison in London Sportsman.
