DISRAELI AND THE RACE-COURSE 



from Mr. Rodney's point of view, but he evidently 

 had not backed the favourite. The winner of 

 that year's Derby was Miindig — the first North 

 Country horse to win the Blue Riband. He was 

 a coarse-looking chestnut son of Catton and Emma, 

 whose chief recommendation was his fine action. 

 The Derb}^ was his first race. In April he stood 

 at the long odds of 50 to i, but his home reputation 

 became known shortly before the race and he 

 touched 6 to I in the betting. There was a hot 

 favourite in Ibrahim, Lord Jersey's horse, whose 

 price was 7 to 4, and also heavily backed was 

 Ascot, the property of Lord Orford. Fourteen 

 horses faced the starter. A good pace was set 

 from the start, but at Tattenham Corner they were 

 all together. In the straight Robinson brought 

 the favourite to the front. As the road was 

 reached, Miindig and Ascot shot forward, the 

 former on the higher ground. At the stands the 

 favourite was beaten and the issue lay between 

 Miindig and Ascot. It was a fine neck-to-neck 

 race, but Miindig just won on the post. A stride 

 after the judge's chair Ascot's head was in front ! 

 Miindig will always be classed as a moderate horse 

 and a lucky one. He ran nowhere in the St. Leger 

 to Queen of Trumps and Hornsea. It was well 

 known before the Derby that Hornsea could give 

 weight to Miindig ; but to please Scott, the trainer 

 of Hornsea, the better horse remained in his stable, 

 so that Mr. Bowes, M.P., the popular Squire of 

 Streatlam, might win the Derby. " The right 

 horse won," says Disraeli. It was a statement 

 the late Lady Dorothy Nevill would have vigor- 

 ously disputed, for she was wont to deplore the 



III 



