view raw text
AMERICAN INFLUENCE IN ENGLAND. Whilst England is quiescent, in a racing sense, America is going in for racing as .strong as they can to attract racing men from our own country, and are buying all the race horses and valuable broodmares tiiat they can. Americans know tltat. racing and race horses must always abound in rich countries, and that the thoroughbred is a most valuable asset. They know that few rich men will stay in a country where there is no racing, hunting or other sport, and they know that no country can thrive unless its rich men spend their money there. When racing was stopped in America a few years ago, the race horses were disposed of, and what was the result? It soon was made clear to the majority that the great industry of breeding half-breds was being destroyed, and in all haste did they set about a renewal of racing and the replenishing of their reduced thoroughbreds from England. An event having great influence on English racing was the introduction of the monkey seat, seen to perfection in Tod Sloan, who rode for the most part for Huggins stable. It had been discovered in America that horses could carry weight much more easily on their shoulders than in the middle of their backs, whilst an additional advantage was gained by lying as low as possible on the horses neck, and thereby avoiding the wind pressure, which must be great indeed when a horse at racing pace Is meeting a high wind. For a long time the English owners and trainers held out against it, but certain defeat soon made it clear that the advantage of the "monkey" seat was absolutely overwhelming. By those means the foreigners had a great season of money-making. They came over to make money, and they made it. It must be admitted, too, that they were clever men with horses, and clever trainers. In spite of the money these foreigners were taking away to America with them, they were not bad times, and there Is r,oom for much anxiety lest America builds up the greatest horse breeding industry in the world; and yet almost daily we read about business after the war. By a steady and constant drain many of our surplus horses in training have been scattered all over the world, and it seems to me that next year the two-year-olds will greatly outnumber the older horses. Perhaps it is fortunate that it is so, and certainly at Newmarket we have a greater, number and a much better looking lot of yenrlings than we had last year. Looking at the older horses retained in the various stables we first note that no doubtful ones remain. "Warren Hill" in London Sporting Lite,