t)ERBY AKD CUP HEMmiSCENCES. 81 



It is curious how men sometimes miss a good win. 



One morning I was coming off the track with Mr. 

 Frank Wilkinson, a well-known pressman and handi- 

 capper, when he turned round and said, *' Stop a 

 minute, Nat ; here's Tarcoola going for a spin.'' 



" Hang Tarcoola," I said. ^' I'm in a hurry for 

 breakfast." 



Frank had, however, got his watch on them, and 

 I waited until the gallop was over. 



*^ By Jove ! that's a great go," said Frank, looking 

 at his watch. '^ It's worth taking a few pounds about 

 Tarcoola at 100 to 2 or 3." 



I said, *^ We'll think about it. You can get a bit 

 in the Club, and 1*11 go you halves." 



Unfortunately Frank did not get the money, and 

 a day or two after Tarcoola did such a bad gallop I 

 forgot all about him until I saw him beating my pet 

 fancy. Carnage, in the Cup. I believe Mr. Wilkin- 

 son wired the result of the good gallop to a friend in 

 Sydney, who won a thousand over Tarcoola. Such is 

 luck. 



Tarcoola won cleverly from Carnage and Jeweller, 

 with Loyalty well up, and again the public were floored, 

 as Tarcoola started at a very long price. 



The last Cup I saw, previous to sailing for Lon- 

 don, was in 1891, when Patron won. Again an out- 

 sider landed the race, and it was a most extraordinary 

 victory, as I will endeavour to show. 



6 



