THE FETISH OF NEWMARKET 



from Paris and he was stabled near the Hotel du 

 Louvre in Boulogne, being in charge of the late 

 coachman to the British Embassy in Paris, Mr Adams. 

 He had a good journey the next day to London, 

 and was confidently expected to win. The thunder- 

 storm, however, was generally accepted as causing 

 his undoing. How the rain came down during that 

 race, and afterwards ! Mr Leopold de Rothschild had to 

 go down to lead his horse in, but it was pouring like 

 fury. He turned up the collar of his frock-coat — he 

 was standing only a yard from me — and went down 

 the steps across the subscribers' lawn and out of the 

 gate of the weighing enclosure to lead St Amant in. 

 When he returned his clothes were in a terrible state, 

 and friendly handkerchiefs had to be requisitioned to 

 give him a sort of rub down before he went to obey the 

 King's summons. His hat was " done in," but even 

 that had to be given a dab or two to make it less 

 disreputable. However, his damp state did not mar 

 the warmth of King Edward's congratulations that 

 he had at last won the greatest race in the world. Mr 

 Rothschild was tickled to death. He showed a few of 

 us a little mascot he had received that morning from an 

 unknown donor. It was a little Maori god made out 

 of New Zealand greenstone, and it proved a wonderful 

 talisman. 



It is no part of these reminiscences to go through an 

 owner's record, but another horse might be mentioned 

 of whom Mr Rothschild had the highest hopes. That 

 was Santo Strato, who ran third to Your Majesty and 

 White Eagle in the St Leger of 1908. This was a real 

 good horse, but before the Leger he had ricked his 

 back, but this was not generally known. He was up 

 against two very live propositions and in the circum- 

 stances it was good form to finish where he did. I had 



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