GREEN; YELLOW SLEEVES, BELT, AND CAP 



1913 

 I well recall Sir Charles's anxiety as to the weight 

 which would be allotted to Jerry M. the season after his 

 victory. Sir Charles was something of a child, if I 

 may so speak of an old friend, but I think all who knew 

 him well would agree ; and he was anxious it should 

 be known that if more than I2st. 10 lb. was allotted 

 to the horse he would not accept. When the eagerly 

 expected handicap was published i2st. 10 lb. was the 

 weight apportioned. Perhaps I may be excused for 

 adding that I had said nothing about this matter in 

 any of the papers for which I was writing, being quite 

 confident that Mr. Topham would not be influenced 

 by newspaper criticism, comment, advice, or I am almost 

 inclined to say threat. The weight mattered little, how- 

 ever, as before the acceptances were due it was found 

 necessary to withdraw the great horse, and he figured 

 among the eleven who went out from an entry of fifty- 

 three. By extraordinarily good luck Sir Charles had a 

 second string, two indeed, Flaxseed, one of the famous 

 Circe family, in with 1 1 st. 9 lb., and Covertcoat with 

 3 lb. less. Covertcoat was a near relation of Flaxseed, 

 Cackler, and other notable 'chasers, being a son of 

 Hackler and of Cinnamon, own sister to Circe. He 

 was far removed from the class of Jerry M., but never- 

 theless distinctly a usefiil horse. There seemed doubt 

 as to whether he would stay the course, this doubt being 



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