CHAPTERS FROM TURF HISTORY 



to the farm.'' The difficulty in accepting this 

 romantic tale is that Worley gave evidence at 

 the trial in favour of Colonel Peel's contention 

 (see ante), which is not easy to reconcile except 

 upon the supposition that in self-protection he 

 turned, in effect, Queen's evidence. 



And so Orlando was legally declared the winner 

 of the Derby of 1844, while Ionian, also the property 

 of Colonel Peel, was placed second in the race 

 and Bay Momus third. The mention of Ionian 

 recalls an incident greatly to the honour of the 

 gallant officer. He had laid Lord Glasgow 10,000 

 to 100 against Ionian. In the spring of the year 

 1844, when he tried the horse, he was astonished 

 to find that he was nearly as good as Orlando. 

 Thus embarrassed, he proceeded to cover his 

 money at some sacrifice, and, this done, he invited 

 Lord Glasgow to give his own orders to Ionian's 

 jockey. 



These two were firm allies. Lord Glasgow be- 

 queathed his race-horses to Peel, and the last 

 winner that Peel had he called Peter, a sobriquet 

 given to Lord Glasgow by his intimate friends. 

 Four months after Peter's victory Peel died at 

 his house at Twickenham in the eightieth year of 

 his age. Among sportsmen he was the kindest, 

 gentlest and most honourable. His political career 

 as Member of Parliament for forty-two years and 

 as a most capable Secretary of State for War was 

 passed without an enemy. But his heart was at 

 Newmarket. 



» The writer is indebted for this statement to that distinguished 

 soldier and excellent sportsman, Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell, who 

 Jived for some years in the neighbourhood of Syweil. 



142 



