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Statistics Show Number of Races Run at Various Distances-Value of Prizes. LONDON, England. The English Racing Calendar, recently published, contains much valuable information regarding the 1931 flat racing season, which will be of interest to racing folk in general. The figures deal with the sport only in Great Britain. The number of races decided, 1,986, is a record. Although the value of the prizes shows a reduction from the previous season ,622,349, as against ,675,390 for 1930. The following table gives the number of races at various distances run each year from 1928 to 1931, inclusive: Distances. 1931. 1930.1929.1928. Five to six furlongs 695 698 701 693 Six furlongs-one mile. . 338 334 333 336 One mile 352 349 337 334 One mile-two miles 552 542 541 537 Two miles-three miles. . 49 47 49 47 Totals 1,986 1,970 1,961 1,947 As will be seen by the following compara- j tive figures, there were more races for two-year-olds in 1931 than in any of the three previous seasons: Distances. 1931. 1930. 1929.1928. Five to six furlongs 493 493 492 483 Six furlongs-one mile. . . 101 98 97 97 One mile and over. ..... 16 17 17 14 Totals 610 608 606 594 VALUE OF PRIZES. A review of the appended figures shows, the enormous growth in the value of prizes awarded to owners of the winning horses in England and Scotland in the past half century. In 1874 the total amount of prize money was ,534,795 in England and 1,580 in Scotland, whereas last season the sum disbursed, not including second, third and fourth money, was ,622,349 in England and 79,415 in Scotland. Here are the figures: Year. England. Scotland. 1874 . . . ,354,795 $ 41,580 1904 2,377,070 76,540 1913 Pre-war year,... 2,593,365 66,925 1924 Post-war year . . . 3,616,056 153,805 1925 ... 3,576,475 153,620 1926 3,500,769 185,740 1927 ..... 3,708,642 186,085 1928 3,722,558 187,820 1929 3,644,907 180,110 1930 3,675,383 184,546 1931 3,622,349 179,415 HORSES JN TRAINING. In 1931 the total amount of money disbursed to winners of handicaps in England and Scotland was ,481,520, in selling races other than handicaps 90,480 and in weight-for-age races, stakes and others ,029,763. The number of horses in training last year in England and Scotland shows a slight decline from the previous season, the total for 1931 being 4,673, as against 4,792 in 1930, a record year. The following table shows the number of horses of different ages which competed each year in. England and Scotland since 1920: Year. 2 3 4 5 up. Total. 1920 ........ 1,459 1,088 604 944 4,095 1921 ...1,488 1,081 708 1,117 4,394 1922 1,504 1,181 708 1,144 4,537 1923 ........ 1,535 1,105 768 1,155 4,563 1924 1,561 1,191 709 1,125 4,586 1925 ..1,633 1,175 712 1,170 4,690 1926 1,624 1,262 684 1,073 4,643 1927 .....1,670 1,260 729 1,002 .4,661 1928 ..1,708 1,273 683 957 4,621 1929 1,562 1,295 752 - 993 4,602 1930. : . , 1,764, . 1,308 716 1,004 4,792 1931 .... 1,660 1,294 - 721 998 4,673
