1758, he received 500 gs. from Lord Rockingham's Weasel. At Newmarket, in April, 1760, he beat the Duke of Kingston's Miner, 9st. each, B. C., 500 gs. In 1761, Spider, then Lord Portmore's, won £50, give and take, at Bedford, beating at three heats, Mr. Matthews' Trinissimi, by Cartouch, Mr. Bigland's Sourface, by the Cullen Arabian, Mr. Quick's Esop, by Cade, and two others. 1752. March 30th, Mr. Arthur Morrin's bay gelding, Skewball, got by the Godolphin barb, with a weight of 8st. 7lb., beat Sir Ralph Gore's grey mare, Miss Sportly, got by Victorious, with a weight of 9st., for 300 gs., four miles, over the Curragh of Kildare, which is celebrated for the elasticity and firmness of its turf, being also the Newmarket of Ireland. Skewball is said to have run the four miles in 7 minutes and 51 seconds. 1752. April 4th, a little mare, supposed to have been well bred, although her pedigree has not been preserved, belonging to a Mr. Spedding, ran twenty times round the five mile course, at the Curragh, in 12 hours, for 100 gs., h. ft. The time allowed to do it in was 13 hours. The next morning, for a wager of 100 gs., she ran the same ground over again to a minute. She was ridden both days by a boy of Lord Antrim's. Mr. Spedding is said to have purchased this mare at the rate of 2d. per lb. weight. 1752. Sir Charles Turner's leaping match with the Earl of March, for 1000 gs., came off towards the end of this year, on Fell, near Richmond, Yorkshire. The conditions of the match were that Sir C. Turner should ride ten miles, within three quarters of an hour, in which he was to take forty leaps, each leap to be one yard, one quarter, and seven inches high. Sir Charles performed it on a galloway, with great ease, in thirty-six minutes. The Earl and Countess of Northumberland, with many other persons of rank and distinction, are said to have been present on this occasion. April 1754, a brown mare, only 13 hands 3 inches high, the property of Mr. Daniel Croker, was backed to do 300 miles on Newmarket Heath, in seventy-two successive hours, which she completed in 64 hours, and 20 minutes. The match was for 100 gs. P. P. The mare was rode by one boy, all the way, weight, 4st. 1lb., exclusively of saddle and bridle. She went backwards and forwards, from the six mile house to the ending post of the B. C. It was performed as follows: Monday, April 22nd, twenty-four miles, and baited; twentyfour, and baited; forty-eight, without baiting.. Tuesday, twenty-four miles, and baited; twenty-four, and 96 108 96 Total 300 CHAPTER XI. 1754 to 1764.-Squirrel-Engineer-Miss Pond's match at Newmarket, 1000 miles, in 1000 successive hours-King Herod-Mr. Jenison Shafto's match at Newmarket, 50 miles in two hoursGimcrack-Bay Malton-Mr. John Woodcock's extraordinary performance at Newmarket, 100 miles a day, (on any one horse each day,) for 29 successive days, for 2000 gs. SQUIRREL. A bay horse, foaled in 1754, bred by William Cornforth, Esq., of Barforth, Yorkshire, and sold to Jenison Shafto, Esq. Squirrel was got by Traveller, out of Dairymaid. At Newmarket, in October 1758, Squirrel won a sweepstakes of 1400 gs. for four years olds colts, 8st. 7lb. and fillies, 8st. 4lb. B. C., beating Lord Northumberland's Primrose, Mr. Panton's Posthumous, &c.; and at the same meeting he won a subscription of 120 gs., for four years olds, 8st. 7lb. B. C., beating Mr. Curron's Kiddleston, by White-nose, the Duke of Ancaster's Handby, by Shepherd's Crab, Lord Gower's Shock, by Shock, Lord Chedworth's Bosphorus, Basset's Dormouse, Lord Northumberland's Perseus, and Lord Portmore's Rake. At Newmarket in May 1759, Squirrel, 8st. 71b., beat Mr. Panton's Mystery, six years olds, 9st. B. C. 300 gs. At Hambleton, in August following, he received forfeit from a horse of Mr. Turner's of the same age, to whom he was to have allowed a stone. He also in October, beat the Duke of Cumberland's Spider, aged 8st. 7lb. each, R. M., 200 gs. At Newmarket in April 1760, Squirrel 9st. 7lb. beat the Duke of Cumberland's Dapper, 8st. 7lb. B. C. 500 gs. ; and in July, he won the Ladies' plate of £90 for six years olds 8st. 10lb.; and aged 9st. 71b.; four mile heats, at Huntingdon, beating Mr. George's Juniper, aged, and Mr. Panton's Posthumous, six years old, who was second and drawn. At Newmarket in March 1761, he beat easy Sir James Lowther's Jason, 8st. 71b. each B. C. 1000 gs.; he also, in the Second Spring Meeting, stood matched against Sir James Lowther's Babram, at the same weight and course, and for the same sum, but was lamed in the fet-lock joint, before the time of starting, which rendered him incapable of racing any more. The first time of Squirrel's starting was at Huntingdon, where he was second to Mr. Swinburn's Belford, which was the only time of his being beat, except when he was second to Silvio, at York in 1759; he never paid a forfeit but that to Babram. Squirrel then became a favourite stallion, and was the sire of a great many good racers at Newmarket. He was also sire of an uncommon num ber of valuable brood mares, the two most celebrated of which will appear in the following pages. The produce of Squirrel won as follows: ENGINEER. A brown horse, foaled in 1755, bred by, and the property of, William Fenton, Esq., of Glass House near Leeds. Engineer was got by Sampson, out of Miner's dam. In 1760 Engineer won the maiden plate of £50 for five years olds, 9st. three mile heats at Malton, beating at three heats, Mr. Wentworth's Maid, Mr. Wetty's Skiddy, by Changeling, Mr. Foster's Whisk by Sampson, and Mr. Brandling's Nothing, by Whitenose; Engineer was rode by William Waugh. He also won the subscription purse of £255 for five years olds, 9st. four miles at York, beating |