1 86 RACING, 



Verneuil's trials, if he ever had any, are not obtainable ; 

 but he was so thoroughly, and in all respects, the beau ideal of 

 what a Cup horse ought to be, that any details concerning him 

 must be well placed in a chapter dealing with the champions of 

 the long courses. His great Ascot week (1878), wherein he 

 won the Queen's Vase, 2 miles, the Gold Cup, 2 miles 5 fur- 

 longs, and the Alexandra Plate, 3 miles i furlong, is a notable 

 feature in turf history, and the betting on that Gold Cup an 

 amusing episode in the annals of the ring. 



Silvio, then four years old, was first favourite with 7 to 4 on 

 him, St. Christophe, whose Sundays out had been profitably 

 spent in Paris by winning the Prix du Cadran and the Prix Rain- 

 bow, and who had in the first-named of these two events beaten 

 his stable companion Verneuil at even weights, was supposed 

 at Ascot to be carrying the bulk of the French money, and was 

 made second favourite at n to 2, while 100 to 15 was laid 

 impartially against Verneuil and Hampton, the other two com- 

 petitors ; but Sir Beaumont Dixie, at that time a heavy bettor 

 and one, moreover, who had a playful habit of ' adopting ' other 

 people's horses, took it into his head that Verneuil, and 

 Verneuil only, could win. So he proceeded to back the horse 

 till the extent of his investments excited attention even at that 

 plunging meeting. Still he went on backing, and at last the 

 public, ever more ready to believe in the wholly improbable 

 than in the most obvious truth, arrived at the conclusion that 

 he was * in the know,' and that the mysterious Count had con- 

 fided to him some secret intention. Many people, indeed, 

 became so impressed with this idea that they saved themselves 

 on the horse, or backed him outright, on the plea that ' Dixie 

 could not go on betting like that unless he knew something,' 

 and when Verneuil cantered home six lengths in front of Silvio, 

 could hardly be persuaded to credit Sir Beaumont's assurance 

 that he was doing his own commission. 



It was a good tip for the Alexandra Plate, and those who 

 were out on the week had a first-rate chance of getting home, 

 though a few of the ultra-sharp division pretended to discover 



