134 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



and required the utmost care and skill in training, con- 

 sequently his colours were not successful in proportion 

 to the stud of horses he kept in training. He had an 

 objection to naming his horses, but at the entreaty of his 

 friends he gave a few of them names — Knowsley, 

 General Peel, and Strafford, for example, which were 

 intended as compHments to his friends. Principally, 

 he patronised the expensive weight for age races, such 

 as the Black Duck Stakes at York of 1000 sovs. each, 

 300 sovs. forfeit. When he did engage in any handicap 

 he invariably stipulated that from 7 lb. to 10 lb. more 

 weight should be put upon his than anybody else's horses 

 of the same age or supposed merit, for, as he said, ' My 

 horses are better than other people's, or I won't keep 

 them.' 



" Almost every trainer of any repute, except John 

 Day and Dover, had a turn from him at one time or the 

 other, but, on the whole, the Dawsons had most of his 

 patronage. Tom Aldcroft remained longest in his 

 employ, and it was always a treat to see Tom in a spic- 

 and-span new jacket on one of the Earl's gigantic steeds. 

 His colours — white jacket, crimson sleeves, and cap — 

 were singularly handsome, conspicuous, and universally 

 popular. 



' Crimson, type of noble blood ; 

 White, the garb of rectitude.' 



Whenever he took a dislike to a man it was a strong 

 hatred, but it was never of long duration; and if he 

 wTonged any one, he always made ample pecuniary 

 compensation." 



In the autumn of 1861 died the Earl of Eglinton, 

 the princely patron of every manly sport, and a 

 gallant ornament to his country in the Senate and 

 in the Cabinet. What the Marquis of Waterford 



