The Indian sun bakes the earth hard, and seems to burn up in a very short time whatever kind of manure is put on it; so that nothing but constant picking up and laying down litter, sand, or tan, at least twice a year, will keep a galloping track in anything like good

order.

A track, 5 feet broad, will be found to be quite wide enough on which to work single horses.

By constant manuring, a thin layer of good soil will in time be formed; but if the course be neglected for but a couple of years, it will become as hard as a turnpike road.

The beau ideal of a galloping track is an elastic one, that will neither jar the joints and suspensory ligaments by its hardness, strain the back tendons, or cause a horse to hit himself by its stickiness, like on soft clay, nor shorten the stride and make it dwelling by deadness, like on sand.

A heavy course is particularly trying to a horse with oblique, and a hard course to one with upright pasterns. Irregularities on the surface of the ground are a frequent cause of sprain to tendons and ligaments.

A galloping track such as I have mentioned, and 1 miles round, will cost about Rs. 400 a year to keep in good going order.

The length of a race-course, for big horses, should not be less than 1 miles. One of 5 furlongs will do for ponies.

A distance is 240 yards.

On the race-course, where the horses are trained, one should erect a rubbing-down shed beyond the

winning-post and on the inside of the course. These sheds are made of split bamboo and dry thatching grass (Hind. phoos). A couple of stalls, roofed over in case of rain, with a small enclosure in front to keep off people troubled with curiosity, will cost about Rs. 16. Ghuramee (thatcher) is the name given to the labourers who do this chhuppur work.

When a course is intended for racing in the evening, the stand should face to the east, and vice versâ.

There should be, near each stand, a piece of ground carefully flagged and made level, on which to measure horses.

Race-courses are supposed to be measured on a line 5 feet from the inner edge all round; but practically the best plan is to measure close to the inside and then add to the length obtained 10 yards, under the assumption that the course is a circle, which is near enough for all practical purposes. This mathematical problem I leave to my readers to work out for themselves.

If the inside of a course be closed, and horses are obliged to be galloped on the outside, the increased distance, once round, which might require to be done, in the event of a trial, may be readily calculated. For instance, say that the gallop is to be taken 25 feet from the inside, i. e., 20 feet outside the line on which the course was measured; then the increased distance would be four times 10 yards, viz., 42 yards. In fact, we add 10 yards to the length of the course, for every 5 feet the galloping track is outside the line on which the course was measured.

A surveyor's large perambulator is more correct and expeditious than the ordinary chain.

As a rule, courses in the morning give about a couple of seconds slower time for a mile, than they do in the evening.

I believe that the Bangalore course, for 1 miles, is about 6 seconds slower than that of Madras.

The 1 miles at Dehra Doon is very little slower than that on an ordinary flat track, while the mile is quite 2 seconds slower.

Races over mile at Lucknow, generally give bad timing, owing to the slight hill, for about half a mile, that leads up to that post.

Three quarters of a mile races at Umballa, are generally run in good time, but distances over that, in slow time.

The Calcutta, Sonepore, and Meerut courses are very fast, while that at Allahabad is quite 3 or 4 seconds in a mile slower than they are.

The letters and I distinguish right and left handed courses, while the correct lengths of those marked s have been most kindly furnished to me by either the Honorary Secretaries or Stewards of these meetings, or by friends on the spot. Those marked p I have taken from published prospectuses, and the remainder from the Oriental Sporting Magazine.

CHAPTER VIII.

Trainers and Jockeys.

THE chief trainers, at the present time in India, are John Wheal, H. Ryder, H. Bowen, N. Vinall, T. Donaldson, and O. Dignum.

Wheal was formerly well-known in Ireland and Wales as a bold and finished steeplechase rider. Since then, he has spent a long and honorable career as a trainer in India. His natural cleverness, great experience, and the fact that he is never above personally looking after his horses, have made his success most marked.

Ryder, whose name has been so often coupled in victory with the celebrated Arab Anarchy, is second to none as a shrewd and able trainer. He rides well, and is an admirable judge of pace.

Unimpeachable probity and strict attention to his business have always characterised Bowen's connection with the Indian turf.

Vinall has been a successful trainer, and is one of the best jockeys we have ever had in India.

Donaldson has always maintained the most unblemished name as a jockey, and generally heads the list for winning mounts. His wonderful quickness in getting away at the start is well-known.

Dignum is a brilliant cross-country rider, and has been a fairly successful trainer.