CHAPTERS FROM TURF HISTORY 



having regard to the races in which the Zetland 

 horse had taken part, doubted whether he was 

 of as good class as the Dutchman. Among these 

 was the famous sporting Baronet of Sledmere, 

 whose opinion is thus quoted in a medley com- 

 memorating the event : 



Of victory for Voltigeur 



The masses never doubt, 

 But thus outspoke Sir Tatton, 



He cannot win this bout. 



Indeed, the poet was right, Voltigeur was the 

 horse of the million. The miners, the hardware 

 youths from Sheffield, the factory hands from 

 Leeds, the farmers from every quarter of Yorkshire 

 drove, rode, or tramped along the roads leading 

 to York. From Leeds to Tadcaster and onwards 

 hundreds slept on the wayside, resuming their 

 walk betimes in order to get a place on the course 

 near the rails. There were then some limited 

 railway facilities ; but trains announced to start 

 at 10 A.M. were packed full at 6 o'clock by crowds 

 who sang and cheered the name of Voltigeur and 

 the Zetland spots. 



" Pompeius before Pharsalia, Harold before 

 Hastings, Napoleon before Waterloo, might afford 

 some striking contrasts to the immediate catastrophe 

 of their fortunes. And yet the Before and After 

 of a first-rate English race in the degree of its 

 excitement, and sometimes in the tragic emotions 

 of its close, may vie even with these." Thus 

 wrote DisraeH of the Derby of 1837 when Phos- 

 phorus prevailed. Certainly no " before " and 

 " after " ever aroused more interest on an English 

 race-course than did this match of the century. 



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