i8 PRETTY POLLY 



Ypsilanti, the dual winner of the " Great Jubilee," 

 ran in the Prix Newmarket, ridden by Bernard Dillon, 

 but he was unable to get nearer than third to Mon- 

 sieur Charvet and Ma Lady Lu. 



A few minutes later the competitors for the Prix 

 du Conseil Municipal of one hundred thousand francs 

 were on view in the paddock. They numbered eight. 



Of the French horses engaged, Macdonald II had 

 far and away the best-class winning form, and to the 

 English horses and himself the three places were uni- 

 versally assigned by public opinion. 



Pretty Polly was, of course, the cynosure of all eyes 

 as she walked round the paddock preceded by her 

 travelling companion. 



It may have been fancy, or it may be that in the 

 light of future events their shadow was cast before, 

 but I certainly thought that she seemed a trifle listless, 

 and that when she cantered down to the post she did 

 not move with the fire and dash of the St. Leger 

 afternoon a month before. 



Meanwhile, the offices of the Pari Mutuel were 

 crowded with Englishmen and Frenchmen, tumbling 

 over each other to back one or other of the English 

 horses, and, in the majority of cases, of course. Pretty 

 Polly, or rather her number, was the selected one. 



There are certainly advantages connected with this 

 mode of betting ; but I think that the old-fashioned 



