DANEBURY AND LORD GEORGE BENTINCK 



post. On this occasion Bentinck presented her 

 jockey with a cheque for £ioo, observing, " This is 

 not for your riding, but for keeping your temper." 

 Bentinck's purchase had won in all nine races, had 

 never known defeat, and had placed to his credit 

 £4,507 in stakes — a lucrative return for the fifty- 

 four guineas which the filly and her dam had 

 cost him. 



In the following season Crucifix won the Two 

 Thousand Guineas without an effort, and on the 

 following Thursday made an example of her oppo- 

 nents in the One Thousand. She started for 

 this race at the extravagant odds of 10 to i on, 

 which her owner cheerfully laid. But the filly was 

 now beginning to feel the effects of her numerous 

 efforts, and her trainer at Danebury was obliged 

 to break it to Bentinck that her legs would hardly 

 last another race, and that it would take the 

 utmost care to bring her to the post for the Oaks. 

 She was indeed built on curious lines. Standing 

 nearly sixteen hands high, she had a neck long 

 and light ; her shoulders were thin, her chest 

 very narrow, and her arms and legs small. She 

 was flat-sided, with short back ribs and drooping 

 quarters. She is said to have been a shambling 

 mover with a tendency to cross her legs, but she 

 was as active as a cat, and had the faculty of reach- 

 ing her top speed in a few strides. On June 5th, 

 in the presence of Queen Victoria and the Prince 

 Consort and an immense crowd, Crucifix ran in 

 her last race. She was a hot favourite, for the 

 public knew nothing of her infirmities. Fifteen 

 fillies went to the post at two o'clock, but sixteen 

 false starts delayed the race for more than an 



73 



