232 'LORD OF THE ISLES' 



of horse, he gave early promise of his latent powers ; 

 and, after trying him successfully before Ascot, I com- 

 municated the result to Mr. Merry at that meeting, where 

 I met him for the first time after parting at Doncaster. 

 I preferred to tell him by word of mouth rather than in 

 writing ; for letters of this nature, as I know to my 

 sorrow, are often intercepted, their contents ransacked, 

 and then resealed and despatched to their destination. 

 After giving Mr. Merry, my reasons for preferring a 

 personal interview, and consulting with him, we decided 

 to keep the horse for his Goodwood engagements. Both 

 of these he won in a rather remarkable way. As the 

 events formed the subject of much gossip amongst the 

 quidnuncs during the week, I may briefly relate the par- 

 ticulars. 



In the first race, the Lavant Stakes, I rode the horse 

 myself, as I did other of Mr. Merry's horses at the time, 

 and, after a close race, won by a head ; Mr. Merry and 

 the stable gaining a large stake, which was probably 

 doubled by his second victory later in the week. The 

 remarks made on my riding in the first event were any- 

 thing but complimentary to myself, or, indeed, creditable 

 to the good taste of those who made them. 'I had come 

 too late,' as many of Mr. Merry's friends confidently as- 

 sured him; or 'I could have "won a street.'" Whilst 

 others, and a more numerous party, had no hesitation in 

 stating from the very first that ' I had ridden the horse 

 to a standstill, and but for his indomitable pluck must 

 have been beaten.' The acquaintances and would-be 

 friends of owners of horses are a numerous class, both 

 presumptuous and officious. They know what the owner 

 can't possibly know, according to their own ideas, and 

 what is for his good, better than those he employs. They 

 point out the mistakes that have been made in the train- 



