WHAT PRETTY POLLY WAS 



Brighton for the second week of the Sussex fortnight 

 at the same time as myself. Velocity was to be put 

 up at auction in Ireland. Sir Ernest had recently 

 bought Flax Park for a little over three thousand 

 guineas, but the sale did not come off, as the colt would 

 not pass the vet. On consultation he wired offering 

 two thousand five hundred pounds for Velocity ; a 

 telegram in reply declined this. In another hour or 

 two another wire was sent offering three thousand, 

 and then another negative. The Irish owner at 

 Brighton knew the horse better than I did, and I could 

 see that he was willing to back his opinion as he had 

 just missed getting Sandboy for three thousand guineas, 

 at Goodwood the previous week. At last he wrote out 

 another wire expressing his willingness to give three 

 thousand five hundred pounds, but back came the 

 response that the horse must go up for sale. Sir 

 Ernest Cochrane's blood was up and he would not have 

 minded what price he paid, and another telegram was 

 sent as to what price they would put on him. The 

 reply wire was : " As said before the horse must go up 

 for sale." As a matter of fact he was bought in for four 

 thousand five hundred guineas. What ought to have 

 been done was for the writer to have gone over and bid 

 for him, for I believe he could have been bought for 

 five thousand five hundred guineas, as he had done 

 nothing in particular except run second for the Irish 

 Derby. How he won the Cambridgeshire in the 

 autumn of that year, winning a packet for everyone 

 concerned with him, can be well remembered. In the 

 following year Mr Peebles trained him. ^Vhat a horse ! — 

 one of the best which ever ran in handicap class. 



