70 LORD GEORGE BENTINCK 



thought so too, and subsequent running proved the truth 

 of his belief. 



When Lord George knew the form of Crucifix as a 

 yearling at Danebury, he entered her in every race worth 

 running for that he could find unclosed ; and not only 

 her, but with her all the rest of his horses of the same 

 age, so that no one should know which he thought the 

 best. She was tried with Seth, an old horse, at two 

 stone, with several other yearlings that were beat a long 

 way, myself up, my father riding the old one. Just as 

 we started, we saw three or four chimney-sweeps stand- 

 ing in the way ; and as they would not move till we got 

 close to them, Crucifix, who was leading for I could not 

 keep her back took fright, and ran out of the course, 

 and we finished at the back instead of the front of the 

 stand, as we had intended she winning easily. Lord 

 George's notion of engaging all his yearlings, good and 

 bad together, for such a purpose as keeping the public in 

 the dark as to his plans, might have been a very costly 

 experiment. For had Crucifix broken down before 

 running, or gone amiss early, the amount he would 

 have had to pay in stakes and forfeits would have been 

 enormous. 



Shortly after Crucifix won the Oaks she did break 

 down. This misfortune served to -throw some light on 

 the peculiar racing ethics held by his lordship, and 

 showed that he was not incapable of doughty deeds 

 hardly worthy of ' The Napoleon of the Turf ' and 

 noble supporter of its moral rectitude. The secret was 

 so well kept that the mare remained for a long time 

 afterwards first favourite for the Leger ; and there can 

 be little doubt that his lordship succeeded in laying a 

 large stake against her, either personally or through 

 agents. Moreover, the fact that he could not secure 



