402 APPENDIX. 



HERMIT. 



{WINXER OF THE DERBY STAKES AT EPSOM, 1867, &-c,^ 



Hermit was bred by Mr. Blenkiron at Middle Park, in 1864, and was sold 

 to Mr. H. Chaplin at the annual sale of the Middle Park yearlings. He is 

 a chestnut horse, standing 15 h. 3 in. high, very lengthy and blood-like, with 

 excellent substance. Hermit made his first appearance on the Turf at the 

 Newmarket First Spring Meeting of 1866, where he was defeated for a Sweep- 

 stakes of 200 sovs. each by Lord Stamford's Cellina, but nevertheless proved 

 himself to be possessed of high form, as he had Lady Hester and Marksman 

 behind him. At Bath, being more forward in condition, he turned the tables on 

 Cellina, beating her and it others for the Biennial ; but at Epsom he was less 

 fortunate, for in the Woodcote Stakes he was opposed by Achievement, who 

 defeated him cleverly by a length at the difference of weight for sex, a perform- 

 ance the correctness of which was subsequently proved to the letter. At Ascot 

 the Biennifil fell to him, beating the French colt Dragon, Arundel, and thirteen 

 others; and he showed still higher form at Stockbridge, ashevery easily effected 

 the overthrow of Vauban, Viridis, and thirteen others for the Biennial, while he 

 also won the Troy Stakes easily from Lady Hester, Julius, Vauban, and seven 

 others, the latter race winding up his very brilliant two-year-old career. In 1867 

 The Hermit ran in nine races, four of which he won. After being the winter 

 favourite for the Derby at very short odds, he was a few days before the race 

 driven to a very outside price owing to having burst a blood-vessel in his head 

 while at exercise ; but he nevertheless succeed xl in winning the ' blue riband ' 

 very easily from Marksman (second), Vauban (third), and twenty-seven others. 

 The betting was 6 to 4 against Vauban (who had previously won the Tv\o 

 Thousand), 7 to i against The Palmer. 8 to i against Van Amburg, 9 to i 

 against The Rake, 10 to i against Marksman, and 1,000 to 15 against 

 Hermit, who won easily by two lengths. ' At Ascot he won the St. James's 

 Palace Stakes of 100 sovs. each, very easily from The Palmer and Wild Moor. 

 Hermit now took it quietly until Doncaster, where he again tried conclusions 

 with his old opponent. Achievement, for the St. Leger, but with no better 

 fortune than for the Woodcote, as she again beat him easily by a length, Juius 

 getting within a head of him for the second money, Vauban being fourth, con- 

 firming the correctness of the Derby running. For the Doncaster Cup he was 

 again second to Achievement, having Tyndale and four others behind him ; and 

 same day, for a Sweepstakes of 200 sovs. each, he beat Barbatus and Arundel 

 over the St. Leger course. At Newmarket he failed to give Friponniery lb. for 

 the Grand Duke Michael Stakes (i-^ miles) ; and Friponnier also beat him over 

 the Rowley Mile for a Sweepstakes of 500 sovs. each (6 subs.) Li 1868 

 Hermit, giving Julius 7 lb., was beaten by him for the Newmarket Biennial, a 

 failure that led to the pair being matched to run the Two Middle Miles, Julius 

 to give Hermit i lb. The betting was very heavy at 11 to 10 on Julius, who 

 won by two lengths. Hermit ran several times subsequently, but without dis- 

 tinguishing himself, and in 1870 was put to the stud at Blankney Hall at the 

 low fee of 20 guineas anrl \os. 6d. His fee was in 1886 250 guineas. The most 

 distinguished of his progeny are Holy Friar, St. Agatha, Trappist, Charon, 

 Monachits, Lancaster, Industry, L'Eclaire, Ambergris, Rylestone, Devotee, 

 Out of Bounds, Peter (winner of the Middle Park I'lUe), Zea'ot, The Abbot, 

 St. Hilda, Angelina, St. Louis (winner of the Middle Park Plate), Thebais, 

 Tristan, Wandering Nun, Shotover, St. Blaise, St. Marguerite. Queen Adelaide, 

 Lonely, Ste Alvere, S:c. 



' A remarkable fact is that, though Hermit was trained thoroughly and tried roughly, 

 he was eased in consequence of his mishap ; Out the cold weather on the day of the race, 

 and a heavy fall of snow during the race, is said by many to have been the cause of the 

 weak vessel not giving way. This was the most sensational Derby ever run, owir.g lo 

 this and to the fact of 120,000/. being won by the owner and friends and an equal sum 

 being lost by one man. 



