86 THE TURF 



Vernon, commonly called Dick Vernon, 

 owner of the famous horse Woodpecker, 

 with whom he won the Craven Stakes no 

 less than three times. He was an excellent 

 judge of racing, backed his horses freely, 

 and was the best bettor of his day, as may 

 be inferred from the following page of 

 Holcroft's Memoirs : 



' In addition to matches, plates, and 

 other modes of adventure, that of a sweep- 

 stakes had come into vogue ; and the 

 opportunity it gave to deep calculators to 

 secure themselves from loss by hedging 

 their bets, greatly multiplied the bettors, 

 and gave uncommon animation to the 

 sweepstakes mode. In one of these Cap- 

 tain Vernon had entered a colt, and as the 

 prize to be obtained was great, the whole 

 stable was on the alert. It was prophesied 

 that the race would be a severe one; for, 

 although the horses had none of them run 

 before, they were all of the highest breed ; 

 that is, their sires and dams were in the 

 first lists of fame. As was foreseen, the 

 contest was indeed a severe one, for it 

 could not be decided // was a dead heat \ 

 but our colt was by no means among the 



