THE TRAGEDY OF ASCOT 43 



Aged Stakes, there was a long delay before the time set 

 for the Cup to be run. 



Pretty Polly was early on view walking round the 

 paddock, preceded by Hammerkop. 



She was certainly sweating a good deal, but consider- 

 ing the tropical heat this is hardly to be wondered at. 



Cicero was also walking about, and this handsome 

 little son of Cyllene certainly never looked better in his 

 life. 



The writer was standing outside Pretty Polly's box 

 while she was being saddled, and if any collateral 

 evidence were necessary to support the assertion that 

 the mare carried the full confidence of those associated 

 with her, this evidence was forthcoming in the hearty 

 laughter of her trainer while her toilet was being 

 attended to, and one left the paddock with the firm 

 conviction that she would win her race pulling up. 



In the betting there was little, if any, indication that 

 the Ring had forecasted the result, because although there 

 was plenty of fielding against the favourite, she was a 

 hard odds on chance at 11 to 4, 7 to i being freely 

 offered "bar" one. 



1 1 to 4 on, 7 to I " bar" one does not usually presage a 

 disaster, especially when one considers how excessively 

 liberal the odds against the second favourites were. 



At the close the prices were : 1 1 to 4 on Pretty 

 Polly, 7 to I against Cicero and Bachelor's Button (this 



