PRINCE PALATINE 



Stakes. It seemed inconceivable that he could fail. 

 We did not need to be told that Rivoli stayed, 

 having seen him win the Alexandra Plate over more 

 than two miles and three-quarters, but he and all 

 the others were of a totally different class from 

 Prince Palatine. When the field came into sight at 

 the top of the hill the race was over so far as the 

 ' certainty ' was concerned. Prince Palatine was 

 hopelessly beaten ; we could not believe our eyes, 

 but they were telling us the truth, a distressing one, 

 for racegoers take a pride in a great horse, and we 

 had looked forward to seeing Prince Palatine come 

 in by himself just to show what he could do, to 

 afford evidence that the price paid for him was not 

 out of the way. There he was, toiling in the rear, 

 while Catmint, unplaced for the Manchester Cup 

 after having been unplaced for the Jubilee, was 

 disposing of Aleppo. A greater contrast could not 

 well be imagined than between the Prince Palatine 

 who cantered away from the good French mare 

 Basse Pointe in the Gold Cup last year, and, indeed, 

 the Prince Palatine who disposed of Stedfast, with 

 Aleppo six lengths away, at Ascot last June, and 

 the horse who staggered up to the post at Good- 

 wood and then stopped dead, literally unable to put 

 one leg before the other. 



" The idea that he had been got at is too futile to 

 be discussed. Until it is contradicted I shall believe 



88 



