^'"^ ashgill; or, the life 



7 lbs. He just won it, but when lie and Skirmisher were 

 put together again over two miles of the same course he 

 gave Lord Fitzwilliam's horse 16 lbs., and beat him haK 

 a length. This course proved fatal to both of them at 

 last, as well as seven others from Aske, including 

 Sabreur, Zeta, and Fandango, and in every instance 

 it was the left leg which went." 



Vedette, like all the Voltaire stock, including 

 Voltigeur himself, was heavy necked and heavy fleshed, 

 and it was these characteristics that made Lord Zetland 

 snd one or two more of the Jockey Club disHke 

 Voltigeur when Bobby Hill marked him as a yearhng 

 at Doncaster. Their verdict was confirmed when the 

 colt came up before Mr. Tattersall. " Take him away " 

 soon boomed forth, and not a soul was there to give a 

 hundred for a yearling that was destined to be the 

 rival of The Flying Dutchman. But for more interesting 

 memoranda auent Voltigeur and Vedette, the reader 

 v^^ould do well to dip into the pages of " Scott and 

 Sebright " and read for himself the tale as told in the 

 " Druid's " own incomparable style. " Bobby Hill," 

 adds the Druid, " had training notions of his o\vn, and 

 never had a man a grander piece of stuff to work on 

 than the sire of Vedette. Voltigeur throve under 

 Bobby's gum bandaging of the legs, and would say v.^hen 

 asked his reasons on that head, ' They're a vast deal 

 better for't.' He was not the man to let his horses be 

 idle ; but, be his system what it might, the three-year- 

 old Voltio-eur thrived on it. He could sweat week after 

 week with 12 stone, lad and all, on his back, and quite 

 deserved his glowing eulogy, ' His legs and feet, my 

 lord, is hke hiron.' " 



It is now too late in the day to question the stout- 

 ness of the Blacklock blood. Its value has been attested 



