Related article: The mighty effect of weight, which
one ignores only to regret again
and again, told its old tale once
more. La Roche ran at least as
gallantly as ever she did. She
had to make her own running,
but she could not prevent King's
Courier, Merry Gal and Cheven-
ing from joining her three furlongs
from the finish, and for the next
quarter of a mile the issue was so
much in doubt that each spectator
was quite justified in shouting for
the one he had backed. Buy Alfacalcidol Inside
the distance it was clear that
King's Courier would win, which
he did by three-quarters of a
length from Merry Gal, who beat
La Roche by a length. It was
an exceedingly pretty race, be-
sides being a very important one.
Merry Gal, at a mile, has beaten
Diamond Jubilee by four lengths
at 2olb. and at two miles has
finished a length in front of La
Roche, both "all out," at lolb.
Say, ye turf experts, which, on
this collateral form, is the better.
Diamond Jubilee or La Roche ?
In the Doncaster Stakes Forfar-
shire could not give 71b to Mardi,
and in the Prince of Wales's
Nursery Sam Loates did Sir
Blundell another good turn by
winning on the unfancied Mackin-
tosh, and this in very smart
fashion in a field of twenty-two.
It was a glorious Doncaster,
but I should like to see in future
years a straight course for the
sprint races.
Polo.— The Indian Polo Calen-
dar, 1900. — This, publication will
suggest to many people a ques-
tion. Why have we no similar
official publication ? Great as is
the Indian interest in polo, there
are more than 120 clubs and 600
registered ponies. It is hardly
greater than that in England.
But it is not only or indeed
chiefly because the Calendar offers
a bird's-eye view of the state of
the game in any given year that it
is so useful. The real value lies
in the first few pages, which con-
tain an abstract of the debates in
the Indian Polo Association on
the various changes which have
taken place in the rules during
the year. We can see at a glance
what has been done, and why,
and can, moreover, judge for our-
1900.]
"OUR VAN.
>•
293
selves of the different views held
by leading members of the polo
world in India. The publication,
being official, carries with it au-
thority, but the general run of
polo players are admitted in a
measure ;o the councils of their
representatives. This leads to
thought, discussion, and the for-
mation of a healthy public opinion.
To the writer it seems that such
a publicatio 1 would obviate many
misunderstandings, and the public
discussion, v/hile it led to useful
changes anc reforms, would also
show to these who love change
for change's jake, or to those who
air fads and fancies, why their
ideas were impracticable or un-
desirable. The Indian Calendar
is published at Lahore at the
(Central Press, and is well edited.
There are few changes in the
rules, and of those that have been
made by far the most important
is the alteration of the standard
height from 13*3 to 14* i. There
are many reasons why this change
is desirable, and not the least is
that, after many years' experience
of Indian polo, we believe that
the larger pony will be safer.
Blown and overweighted ponies
are the chief cause of fatal acci-
dents.
Sir Henry Simpson. — The
death of this well-known vete-
rinary surgeon deprives all lovers
of polo of a kind friend, a sound
adviser, and the Hurlingham
Committee of an official measurer
who never made an enemy even
amidst the difficulties of a position
which needs tact as well as pro-
fessional skill.
The Polo Pony Sooiety.—
Amid some attacks and disparage-
ment, the Polo Pony Society has
wisely remained silent officially.
But in holding the usual meeting
at Dublin, and by giving pub-
licity to the excellent report of the
Society and to the clear, sound
VOL. LXXIV. — NO. 4 *8.
common-sense of the Vice-Presi-
dent, Mr. Barker, the Society has
done well for itself. Five volumes
of a notably well-selected stud-
book containing the register of
160 stallions and 920 mares, not
to speak of the high class of
the exhibits at the Royal and
other shows, are sufficient witness
to the work of the Society. Nor
is this all, for the Society is en-
deavouring by all means in its
power to encourage our native
breeds the smart Welsh, the en-
during Exmoor, and the useful
New Forest and Fell ponies.
The Sidbupy Stud.— While
men have been discussing how to
breed ponies of a riding and polo
type from native foundation stock,
it has been reserved for a woman
to succeed. It was with great
pleasure that the writer visited
Miss Helen Tyrrell's stud at Ivy
Cot, near Sidbury, South Devon.
Miss Tyrrell has been a member of
the P.P.S. from the start, and has
studied the book and worked on the
lines laid down. Exmoor mares
crossed with thoroughbred blood
is her leading idea. This has had
great success, though the stud is
on a small scale. The Judge and
Mavourneen have won prizes at
large shows. These ponies are
turned out on the hills all the
year round, the home paddock
being only some three or four
acres in extent. They are in
every respect of the right type,
and will still be improved as time
goes on. Kind treatment has
made them perfectly gentle, and
when they are wanted to train for
polo ponies this will be found no
slight advantage.
Polo in Amerioa.— Narragan-
sett, a name which is somehow
rather suggestive of comic opera,
has had a polo tournament. I
believe Narragansett is a fashion-
able watering place and just there-
fore the place for good polo.
22
^94
BAILY S MAGAZINB.
[October
After a capital series of matches
in which however there were
several accidents, the final was
played between Myopia and Ded-