EXCELLENT JUDGMENT OF RACING 141 



own knowledge, he would listen with deference to the 

 arguments of those whom he thought more likely to 

 know than himself, and would act on the advice so re- 

 ceived. When he had made up his mind, he would bet 

 boldly. He preferred to run his horses mostly for the 

 big handicaps ; knowing well two things : First, that on 

 no other description of races could so much money be 

 won; and secondly, that horses that might be good 

 enough to win such events, were not good enough to 

 contend successfully with the best horses in weight-for- 

 age races. In this he showed that he knew as well 

 where to place his horses as when to back them. I 

 should, however, say that he won one good weight-for- 

 age race the Ascot Cup. On one point he was most 

 determined ; and nothing would ever drive him from 

 his settled conviction. He believed that what he saw in 

 a trial was the correct form, no matter how completely 

 an opinion so formed might be upset by the result of the 

 race itself. And in this belief he was generally right ; 

 the race being more often wrong than the trial a fact 

 which was proved to demonstration by subsequent per- 

 formances over and over again. 



He was a man of strict honour and integrity; and 

 enjoyed a reputation for talent, which was justly be- 

 stowed, as was proved on many occasions. He seldom 

 made an objection ; but when he did, he generally sus- 

 tained it. In the Spring Meeting of 1858 at Ilsley, 

 when Avenger ran second to Sir L. Newman's Supple 

 Jack, he objected to the latter on the ground that he 

 had gone the wrong side of a post, as he manifestly had 

 done to all beholders. Yet, after the stewards heard the 

 case, it was given in favour of ' the winner.' Mr. Parker 

 gave notice to the clerk of the course to withhold the 

 stakes, and the case was afterwards brought before the 



