THE TURF 135 



But what is the sight in the Warren, 

 interesting as it really is thousands on 

 thousands depending on the result, ruinous 

 perhaps to many compared with the start 

 for the race ? Fancy twenty-four three-year 

 colts, looking like six-year-old horses, with 

 the bloom of condition on their coats, 

 drawn up in a line at the starting-place, 

 with the picked jockeys of all England on 

 their backs, and on the simple fact of 

 which may prove the best perhaps a million 

 sterling depends. They are off ! i No, no,' 

 cries one jockey, whose horse turned his 

 tail to the others just as the word ' Go ' was 

 given. It is sufficient : 'tis no start : ' Come 

 back!' roars the starter. Some are pulled up 

 in a few hundred yards others go twice as 

 far. But look at that chestnut colt white 

 jacket and black cap with thousands de- 

 pending upon him ! He is three parts of 

 the way to Tattenham's corner before his 

 rider can restrain him. Talk of agonising 

 moments ! the pangs of death ! what can 

 at all equal these? But there are no 

 winnings without losings, and it is nuts to 

 those who have backed him out. Who can 

 say, indeed, but that, his temper being 



