THREE- YEA R- OLDS, 1 5 9 



upset ^vhat was supposed to be the best thing ever known to 

 plunge on. 



And how they did plunge that day ! Everyone who had 

 laid against ' Chaplin's impostor,' as poor Hermit was stigma- 

 tised after he broke a blood-vessel, everyone who had intended 

 to back him and then had been talked into backing something 

 else (a very large class this), and everyone who, having backed 

 him, had not been able to get out, and had won n:ioney in- 

 voluntarily; all alike, winners and losers, to increase the gain 

 or to recoup the loss, dashed it down in full confidence on 

 Colonel Pearson's black and scarlet chevrons and on the 'boy 

 in yellow,' as Custance was still sometimes called. What was 

 the matter? The 'proverbial &:c.,' or what ? Even echo was 

 at a loss for an answer, but the result was an unfortunate cool- 

 ness between jockey and employer, and Chaloner had the 

 mount in the Leger. 



And the black Monday that followed that Oaks ! If the 

 Ring ever start an 'Annus Annuli,' we would suggest May 27, 

 1867, as an appropriate date for its commencement, or at any 

 rate for an important festival in the ' Calendar.' 



We are fortunately able to give one or two more episodes 

 culled from the annals of the Rothschild stable with reference 

 to the putting of the home question to three-year-olds over 

 courses exceeding one mile but less than two miles. 



In 1868 — Blue Gown's year — the Baron had three good 

 horses of this age, viz. : Suffolk, King Alfred, and Restitution, 

 of whom the two first named were engaged in the Derby. 

 These three he tried at even weights with Mr. E. C. Clayton's 

 Lozenge, who the previous year had won the Cambridgeshire, 

 carrying 7 st. 2 lbs. ; the young ones all beat the old one, and 

 moreover beat him so easily that Mr. Clayton thought his 

 horse must be out of all form — a supposition which cost him 

 dearly, for in a 100/. Plate over the Rowley Mile at the First 

 Spring Meeting, Lozenge met Captain Machell's Knight of the 

 Garter, giving 6 lbs., and Mr. Clayton backed the latter in 

 preference to his own, who won after a good race by a head. 



