144 



RACING. 



tax oil our credulity, what is quite certain is that The Bard's 

 owners had underrated the merits of the performance, whatever 

 it may have been, and it was not till they had seen him canter 

 home for the Brocklesby that they realised how good an animal 

 they had. As a two-year-old he was never beaten, starting for 

 and winning no fewer than sixteen races ; it is, indeed, impossible 

 to say whether he was ever thoroughly extended ; for, though it 

 was thought that Cissy stretched his neck at Sandown, Archer 

 says that the race was never in doubt. We may conclude 

 this subject by saying that the later and best two-year-old of 

 any year, the winner of the Middle Park Plate for instance, 

 is generally about 2 stone in front of the good early form. 



Three times has the Duke of Portland won the Brocklesby 

 during his hitherto prosperous racing experience, besides 

 running into place on almost every occasion that he has 

 started anything for this event. His winners were: Donovan, 

 1888, Semolina, 1889, and Katherine II. 1891. Every episode 

 in Donovan's career is of interest, and, without any disrespect 

 to The Bard, a gallant little horse that won sixteen races as a 

 two-year-old without knowing defeat, he may surely be written 

 down as the best of Brocklesby winners ; yet his first trial on 

 Sidehill, March 8, can hardly have given a suspicion of his 

 quality. 



Five furlongs. 



Won cleverly by half a length, three lengths second and third. 

 Deschamps, also a two-year-old, was very common indeed, 

 though he did secure a couple of races that year. Frances 

 was worthless, as was another wretch which at the same weight 

 took part in this gallop. So it was evidently the second tria.1 



