CHASING AND RACING 177 



he informed me. " Better 'ave 'er 'ome and 'unt *er." 

 I took his advice as far as change of locality was con- 

 cerned, but I did not dedicate her to foxhunting. 



After a while Davis, the head lad of my private 

 establishment at Headbourne Worthy, told me that 

 the filly could go a bit ; so I entered her in a race at 

 Sandown, winner to be sold for 600. She was still 

 very big and above herself ; so much so, that I was 

 chaffed unmercifully in the paddock. I gave Weldon 

 the chance mount, and she won in gallant style, in a 

 big field, at 22-1. 



I had hardly expected such a turn up, but had " a 

 pony each way " on her. I had to go to 750 guineas 

 to retain her, and was thankful at that. 



Now I had bought her with her engagements ; but 

 had struck her out of most of them, paying the minor 

 forfeits. However, I left her in a few cheap races ; 

 amongst them the Portsmouth Stakes, for three-year- 

 olds, at the Bibury Meeting (then held at Stockbridge), 

 to be ridden by members of that select and time- 

 honoured club. 



When the day came round, it was found that Tom 

 Cannon's ch. c. Blanc had frightened away all opposi- 

 tion. Had he not beaten Ravensbury by three lengths 

 at even weights, and was not the latter always within 

 three lengths of the mighty but lazy Isinglass ? Yea, 

 verily ! 



But I was undismayed. Dornroschen had by this 

 time fined down, and had improved out of all knowledge 



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