DISRAELI AND THE RACE-COURSE 



The next year Disraeli was out of office and 

 fast failing in health. He still exhibited a lively 

 interest in his friend's horse. Chippendale had 

 won the Great Metropolitan and the Gold Vase 

 at Ascot, and then essayed the severe task of 

 tackhng the mighty Isonomy in the Gold Cup. 

 " All my hopes are on Chippendale," wrote Disraeli 

 to Lady Bradford on June 8th. Alas ! they were 

 doomed to disappointment ; but they should never 

 have been entertained. Isonomy only ran twice 

 this year. In the Manchester Cup, decided over 

 a mile and five furlongs, he had carried the enor- 

 mous burden of 9 st. 12 lb. Ridden by Cannon, 

 he won the race by a neck, beating the Abbot, 

 to whom he gave 45 lb. The horse was cheered 

 to the echo as he passed the post. It was a 

 great performance. None the worse for this 

 effort on very hard ground, Isonomy was saddled 

 for the Gold Cup at Ascot, a race he had won 

 in the preceding year. Odds of 9 to 4 were 

 laid on him. His only opponents were Chippen- 

 dale and Zut, the property of Count Lagrange. 

 On sufferance Chippendale made the running 

 until inside the distance, when Isonomy was 

 allowed to stride up to him and to win very 

 easily. 



Three days later Disraeli wrote to Lady Brad- 

 ford : " Your letter was deHghtful. What they 

 call graphic. I am glad I have been to Ascot and 

 have royally lunched and lounged on the lawn. 

 All my household were on Bradford's stable, 

 and I believe well backed their opinion. The 

 coachman on these matters is the great authority, 

 greater even than Baum. He has backed the 



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