THE 'RUNNING REIN' SWINDLE 77 



cause of bringing to light the plot of which Running 

 Rein, alias Maccabeus, and Mr. Goodman Levy were 

 the heroes, in the Derby of 1844. The story is too 

 well known to bear repetition. As the result of his 

 victory, Lord George received the united thanks of the 

 public in recognition of his fierce desire, like another 

 Hercules, ' to cleanse the Augean stable ' ; and more- 

 over was heartily congratulated on the successful ter- 

 mination of the trial by his old and close friend, the 

 gallant Colonel (afterwards General) Peel, the owner 

 of Orlando, to whom the race was finally awarded. 

 Without wishing in the least to imply, in this instance, 

 the existence of any motive beyond ' the fierce desire ' 

 to which I have referred, it is at least not unfair to 

 point out that such a thing as his lordship's having 

 stood a large sum of money on his old friend's horse 

 was within the range of probability. And the malignant 

 might urge that this may have, in some way, acted as 

 a stimulus to the vigorous prosecution of this diabolical 

 offence. At all events, I cannot believe, nor will any- 

 one else, that his lordship backed Running Rein, know- 

 ing his dislike to all plebeian owners, whom, had he 

 had but the power, he would have swept off the face of 

 the earth ' in one fell swoop.' In this light, the reversal 

 of the places may not have been altogether unwelcome, 

 for another reason than the vindication of turf morality. 

 That his lordship also hugely benefited the morals 

 of the turf in other directions I am the last to deny. 

 Witness his action in fining the clerk of the course at 

 Goodwood five shillings for every minute he was behind 

 time in having the horses ready to start. It is true 

 the unfortunate man's watch was to be regulated by 

 the clock at Goodwood, a mile from the scene of action, 

 that this proviso may have slightly interfered with 



