ANXIOUS TO SELL 'PROMISED LAND' 257 



any of rny numerous employers. Cedric, I should add, 

 was not the only horse that had been sold, and, like 

 many others that are sold, he never won a race after- 

 wards. 



In 1860 I had another deal with his lordship. I dis- 

 posed of my string at Bath races, having more horses 

 than I wanted ; and wishing to sell many of them, put 

 small reserves on most of the lot. I may mention that 

 amongst those that went for his moderate reserve figure 

 of 100 guineas, was one of the yearlings I bred, the colt 

 by Flatcatcher out of Bather High. He was bought by 

 Sir William Codrington, was returned to my stables, and 

 was afterwards called ' Catch 'em Alive.' 



,This by the way. To go on with my story. I had 

 put a reserve of 3,000 guineas on Promised Land, and 

 1,500 guineas on Traducer. Lord William had pur- 

 chased the latter at his reserve, and had bid 2,500 for 

 Promised Land, as Messrs. Tattersall told me after the 

 sale. The next day I saw his lordship, and said : 



1 1 should like you to have the Land ; he stays well, 

 and is just the horse that would suit your lordship.' 



His excuse was that he had not got the money to 

 spare. This difficulty was met and overcome by my 

 saying I would trust him. But this would not induce 

 him to purchase ; for he afterwards said he had too many 

 horses, and if I would take back Traducer, he would 

 have the Land at the price. To this I could not agree, 

 having only a half-share in the animal, and for the time 

 the matter ended, the horse returning to Woodyates with 

 the rest that remained unsold. 



I was still very anxious to dispose of Promised Land, 

 because, to be candid, I did not think he would do me 

 any good if I kept him. I thought the best three-year- 

 olds would beat him in weight-for-age races, and that in 



17 



