AS A FOUR-YEAR-OLD 



A fortnight later came the Eclipse, and for the 

 third time Prince Palatine and Stedfast were in 

 opposition, carrying even weights. The only other 

 one who was supposed to count in the race among 

 the half dozen who went to the post was Mr. Walter 

 Raphael's Tagalie, who found admirers on the ground 

 that she had won the Derby — at the time it was, of 

 course, impossible to judge precisely what had been 

 the strength of the opposition — and obviously could 

 have won the Oaks had she been pleased to do so. 

 The idea was that Prince Palatine would have been 

 better suited by a longer course than the Sandown 

 mile and a quarter, rendered easy, moreover, by the 

 bends round which horses have a moment of com- 

 parative respite, and no one could have been sur- 

 prised to find that odds, and somewhat long ones, 

 13 to 8, were laid on Lord Derby's colt, whilst as 

 much as 5 to I was procurable about Prince Palatine, 

 Tagalie intervening. The two rivals came up the hill 

 together, the one thing unmistakable being that 

 there was little in it, and a more exciting finish than 

 that which resulted is scarcely conceivable. Maher, 

 riding Stedfast, was on the rails, with, it must be 

 admitted, very little room, the French jockey O'Neill 

 on Prince Palatine as nearly as possible touching 

 him. It may possibly be that they did actually 

 touch, and so they passed the post, no one except 

 the Judge being able to say what had happened. 



71 



