LORD MANNERS 71 



through that severe ordeal of four miles and a half 

 in triumph. 



This happened several years ago, and the story 

 of how Lord Manners bought the horse only a short 

 time before the race, will perhaps be new to the 

 present generation. 



Seaman was in a well-known Irish stable which 

 had trained several Liverpool winners, and what 

 they did not know about the business was not worth 

 knowing. The horse was supposed to have had a 

 very fair chance when he was sound, but he had 

 developed a " leg " in training, and was almost 

 broken down. Under these circumstances his clever 

 owners considered he would never " get the course," 

 and were probably very glad to accept Lord Manners' 

 two thousand for him, particularly as they had 

 another horse in the stable almost equally good, and 

 with the advantage of four sound legs, with an ex- 

 perienced jockey to ride him. A cool head and good 

 nerves, backed by a strong determination, make, 

 however, a very good substitute for that experience 

 which can only be acquired by frequent riding. 



An occasion in a race at the Melton Hunt meet- 

 ing recurs to me, when Capt. " Doggie " Smith was 

 caught by Lord Manners and just beaten on the post. 

 I may be wrong, but always thought that his offer 

 to take the Quorn was not from any desire to 

 become a " M.F.H.," and was only because the 

 country at the moment required a helping hand. 

 The previous mastership had provided extraordinary 

 good sport, and had been favoured with a succes- 

 sion of seasons that had few really bad scenting days. 

 Scent is a problem that no one has yet satisfactorily 

 solved, and the greater the experience the more 



