42 PRETTY POLLY 



Ring before racing that the mare had been sent back to 

 Newmarket. 



It had transpired that she had been caused some in- 

 convenience by a certain prominent wart on her belly, 

 which had been lanced by her veterinary attendant, and it 

 was thought by some people that this was more serious 

 than really was the case. 



As a matter of strict fact, the writer of these pages 

 has the very highest and best authority — that of Major 

 Loder — for stating that, although it was quite true that 

 she had been troubled by a large wart under her belly, 

 there was nothing to indicate in the way she was doing 

 in the stable or at her work that she was the least off 

 colour. Although, looking back at the race, one can 

 hardly doubt that she was not at her very best on that 

 day, still, when one considers what a great race she ran 

 all the same, it is difficult to see how any one could have 

 judged that she was not quite in her top form. 



Only the race itself could settle that question. I 

 have considered it only right to lay some stress on the 

 above point, as there were many people who unfairly, if 

 unconsciously, blamed Pretty Polly's connections for 

 running her on the assumption that they ran her know- 

 ing she was off colour. 



That this is an entire fallacy I have, on the highest 

 and best authority, proved. 



After Queen's Holiday had walked over for the All 



