24 PRETTY POLLY 



difference in his favour of 12 lb. by Hebron, one of the 

 horses who finished behind him on this day. 



As I have before had occasion to remark, these were 

 not the days of the now happy " entente cordiale." 



The comments on the race in the French Press were 

 equivocal and, in one case, bitterly sarcastic. 



" M. Gaston Dreyfus," said one publication, " is 

 like a man who unexpectedly lands a big stake, while 

 Major Loder is like a gambler who has risked and lost 

 all his winnings on one throw of the dice, and Pretty 

 Polly has lost all the moral gain of her fifteen suc- 

 cessive victories." 



In one case, however, I can quote a happy difference 

 of opinion. 



All honour to the talented writer over the signature 

 George Frederick in the " Echo de Paris " of Monday, 

 October loth. 



I make no apology for quoting his comments in 

 extenso. 



" For true sportsmen," he declares, " Pretty Polly 

 has lost not one ounce of her value. The English filly 

 remains invincible. She beats her chief opponent, Zin- 

 fandel, and Macdonald II retains the place assigned to 

 him by general opinion at the head of the French horses. 



"All are in their places — except the winner. The 

 victory of Presto is like a cracker which explodes with- 

 out leaving any trace behind. 



