THE TRAGEDY OF ASCOT 47 



who perhaps looks upon racing as a synonym for all 

 that is evil, it may seem curious that the success or 

 failure of a certain horse, taken absolutely apart from 

 financial circumstances, should raise any feeling of 

 emotion. 



But to those thousands who have seen Pretty Polly 

 in any or all of her races the feeling of sadness that 

 the once deferred Triumph of Ascot had become a 

 Tragedy instead was as natural as it was general. 



No one could see Pretty Polly and not love her. 



But Pretty Polly stood for something more than her 

 own beautiful gentle self. 



She stood for all that is best, all that is truest, all 

 that is least venial in the world of racing. 



Whilst there are horses like Pretty Polly (although 

 far removed though they be from her phenomenal 

 superexcellence), owners like Eustace Loder, trainers 

 like Peter Purcell Gilpin, and jockeys as straight as 

 Bernard Dillon, no man need despair of the Turf of 

 England. 



Turning back to the Ascot Cup, there can be but 

 little doubt that she was distinctly unlucky in the 

 race, and that she was latently a little below her 

 top form, and that these causes were the reason of her 

 defeat. 



Bachelor's Button was a handicap horse of the 

 highest class, but he had no pretensions to classic form, 



