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w BRUTAL HORSE RACES OF THE PAST In an early volume of the F.nglish General Stud I Book it is recorded that Sharper, a horse by Oc-taviiis. was a winning figure in a brutal match run I in Bussia. "where he and Mina were matched to • run seventy-five versts forty-nine and three-quarters Knglish miles I on the public road against two Cossack horses; Mina falling lame was pulled 1 up early in the race, which Sharper won with ease, notwithstanding the loss of a stirrup and the consequent inability of his rider to restrain him far several miles. The CeeaaCk horses had nearly three stone advantage in weight, and one of them 1 fell at the end of twenty-five miles and died. Thi-race was run in M28 near St. Petersburg." It is - i din fori ing to know that the unfortunate Sharper recovered sufficiently to run for a race of 2.000 1 rubles in the July of the following year. In elderly days certain Continental "upertssaea" had a fancy for such degrading exhibitions, and I the famous idol of the Yorkshire, Fuglanil. racing • folks, cimcrack. when he passed teaspararily into the possession of Count I.aiiraguais, was matched to do tweatj two miles and a half in the hour, and succeeded. A
