FORESTALLED BY OUR PARTNER 123 



politan, Great Northern, Flying Dutchman Stakes at 

 York, and the Chester Cup. And assuredly she would, 

 bar accidents, have won the whole of them, had she 

 started for the two first; but this she was prevented 

 doing in the following way. 



In the spring I wrote to Mr. Parker, and asked him 

 to come and see the mare tried, which he did. On his 

 arrival he said, in his good-natured way : 

 ' I hope you have got the money on well.' 

 ' Me !' I answered, more earnestly than, perhaps, cor- 

 rectly, in my surprise. ' What do you mean?' 



1 Why,' he rejoined, ' the mare is the first favourite in 

 both races ' (the City and Suburban and the Metro- 

 politan), ' and I thought you might have backed her 

 for us and yourself too.' 



1 No,' I said in reply ; ' I have never seen or heard her 

 name mentioned till now.' 



Nor had I, as I only took in the weekly papers. 

 ' It's Teddy ' (referring to Mr. Farrance), he said ; ' he 

 has been in communication with the boy I told you of, 

 and now I hope you will be satisfied, and believe what 

 is so clear to everyone but yourself.' 



Thus it appeared our chance, at the time, had been 

 wrecked by the action of our own partner. The mare 

 was, however, beat in her trial, and, without any assist- 

 ance of ours, was driven out of the betting. But we 

 thought the trial was wrong, and tried her again in a 

 few days, and found that it was so ; for on a second 

 attempt she beat Tame Deer, giving him 18 lb., the 

 other two being tailed off a long way. But before Mr. 

 Parker got my letter, and could act on it, he found she 

 was made favourite again, and would not back her at 

 the short price obtainable. In the end she did not run, 

 though we took her to the meeting in the hope that 



