* WEATHERBOUND'S* SUCCESS 195 



him, I have ordered one of the two to be sent to you 

 to-night.' 



The mare was Weatherbound, and she, as is well 

 known, won the Cambridgeshire that year, though 

 Mr. Swindell did not think of racing her till the 

 following spring. Indeed, he said to me ; 



' Take her home and enter her when you like ; and 

 when you have tried her, next spring, tell me what you 

 think of her.' 



It happened, however, that Precise, a mare of mine, 

 though she ran in Mr. Parker's name, was well in that 

 year, and probably would have won the race much easier 

 than Weatherbound did, had she but kept well. But, as 

 she did not, I struck her out when all chance of her 

 running successfully was past hope. Dulcibella was first 

 favourite, and Weatherbound at 100 to 1. I tried the 

 two on the Thursday morning before the race, and 

 telegraphed the result to Armstrong in cypher. He 

 would not believe it, suggesting that a mistake had been 

 made, either by the telegraph clerk or by myself. But 

 Swindell was of a different opinion. 



' It's right enough, lad,' he said (using his familiar 

 expression in addressing his intimates) ; ' go and put the 

 money on, and if we hear anything from William to the 

 contrary, we will make the best of a bad bargain.' 



This was done, and the mare backed for a good stake, 

 and all know how she served her competitors. The trial 

 itself is worth recording. It was as follows : 



One Mile and a Distance. 



Weatherbound, 3 yrs., 7 st. 5 Ib. - - 1 



Dulcibella, 3 yrs., 7 st. 5 Ib. 2 



Schism, 4 yrs. , 7 st. 51b. 3 



Bevis, 4 yrs., 6 st. 4 



Won by two lengths ; half a length between second and 



