257 



the point of honour clear, which is perhaps at present rather dubious. 

 Wha a curious and extraordinarj^ match would be that, between two 

 eager candidates for losing ?" 



This point, I apprehend, was never before discussed in print, and I 

 should be proud to have the honour of settling it. As to the waiting 

 race, for making the best use of speed, I recollect the following shining 

 example — shining indeed for Lord Grosvenor, the winner. Perhaps 

 nearly thirty years since, in a great sweepstakes, at Newmarket, in 

 which some of the best Horses of the day, were competitors, and each 

 jockey desirous of waiting, and profiting by his Horse's speed, at the 

 last push, all the capital Horses started, and proceeded so slowly, that, 

 the rider of an inferior Horse, with great judgment, took the advantage, 

 and making the strongest play within his Horse's power, actually got so 

 far a-head, that the others, who so much despised this Horse, as to be 

 thrown off their guard, could never over-take him with their utmost 

 exertions, and he won the race ! This I very well remember, but can- 

 not immediately lay my hand upon the precise page, in the Racing 

 Calendar, The winner was a Horse ot very little worth, I think got 

 by Gimcrack. The same fortunate chance for a bad racer, liappened 

 again last year, on some country course ; surely Egham. 



The following successful tour man}^ years ago, came partly under my 

 notice, and I had the particulars from the best authority. Two gentle- 

 men had each a colt and a fdl^^ The colt, as I recollect, by A^'^ildair, 

 large and coarse, a very awkward goer, but he covered a great deal of 

 ground, and ran his course remarkably well through, when he Avas 

 right, which was seldom, and he never started in public, until four years 

 -old. The filly had good speed, but it was pretty clearly ascertained, 

 although they were never tried tog-ether, that the colt could beat her at 

 any distance, bej^ond a mile and half They ran together for a fifty-pound 

 plate, which the filly won, the colt not running to win, but he was found 

 at the ending post in a tolerable good place. He was immediately sold, and 

 a match made between the two, to run three miles at even weights. Mo- 

 ney, as was expected, was betted very freely upon the filly, at odds; but 

 the colt won in a good form, winning also for his backers, a very con- 

 siderable sum. Not standing sound afterwards, he was sold to Russia, 



as a stallion. 



2 L About 



