234 



ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



Doncaster to run for the York Cup, convinced that he 

 had no chance of beating Lily Agnes, through whom in 

 Blantyre and Louise he had a direct line. 



Up to this stage of his career Holy Friar had main- 

 tained an unbeaten certificate, and was looked upon with 

 some degree of confidence to maintain his reputation in 

 the Middle Park Plate, even with a hard nut Hke 

 Galopin to crack. Apology had won the One Thousand 

 Guineas and the Oaks, and with Holy Friar having won 

 on six consecutive occasions, the Yorkshire clergyman 

 who owned both was in great form. 



At this time Mr. "Launde" and his bishop 

 had a few words, the latter thinking it inconsistent 

 for a clergyman to run racehorses, though people 

 of ordinary common sense know perfectly well that 

 it is not incompatible with his clerical office for a 

 clergyman to be the owner of thoroughbreds and to 

 run them as straight and honestly as Mr. " Launde " 

 always did. The bishop, it seemed, did not object to 

 Mr. " Launde " racing until his horses began to win 

 some good stakes. 



Admiral Rous's opinion of the merits of Lily Agnes 

 was sho^\TL when, in the apportionment of the imposts, 

 he made her give weight to Atlantic, thus establishing 

 her in the " old Salt's " estimate as the best animal of her 

 age. Atlantic had beaten Pique in a canter, giving her 

 21 lbs. Pique proved herself very smart that year, 

 winning many races — amongst other performances, 

 splitting Glenalmond and Rostrevor in a Biennial, and 

 winning the Great Yorkshire Oaks in a canter, second 

 to her being NeUa, ridden by Osborne. Ashgill was at 

 its zenith this year of 74, for amongst its inmates were 

 animals of the class of Thorn, Grand Flaneur, Holy 



