2i8 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



next best record to Stevens' five successes out of 

 fifteen until Mr T, Pickernell tied Oliver's record 

 with Amatis, i860, The Lamb, 1871, and the 

 Pathfinder, 1876. The Lamb's success was fore- 

 told in a dream. 



Personally, I do not believe in dreams, but the 

 truth of the following- incident is, I believe, proved 

 by documentary evidence. In a dream Lord Poulett 

 saw his horse. The Lamb, win the Grand National 

 a second time, with Mr Pickernell in the saddle. 

 Before the entries had closed he wrote to " Tommy " 

 relating his dream and engaging him to ride. 

 The gist of that letter has often been quoted, but 

 the original until now has never appeared in print. 



Superstitious people may like to hear of another 

 dream, which occurred to Fred Webb. This, 

 however, did not concern the Grand National 

 (in which in 1881 he had a mount on The Scot and 

 finished fifth when Woodbrook won), but a more 

 important event — the Derby of 1873, the only time 

 he was ever successful in that race. When Webb 

 arrived at Epsom on the Monday before Derby 

 Day he had no prospects whatever of a mount, but 

 durine the niorht he dreamt that he had won that 

 contest. On the downs at exercise the next morning, 

 however, Robert Peck, casually meeting him, at 

 once secured his services, with a victorious result. 



Harking back to the Grand National's winning 



