324 The Leather Plater, 



Hollerton. The course was heavy, the fences large, the brook 

 swollen, and I inwardly felt that if our young horse could come up 

 well this day we had^ittle to fear for his future. It was a weight- 

 for-age race. The first favourite, an old steeple-chaser, the hero of 

 a hundred fights, with my energetic friend Tom up, had to give 

 our colt 21 lb. J and the captain's mare gave us 14 lb. The rest of 

 the field were either untried or very moderate. Seventeen came to 

 the post. The captain jumped off with the lead, close followed by 

 the favourite, our horse lying well up. Although Jack Russell had 

 not ridden in a race for so long, it was quite evident that he had 

 not forgotten his jockeyship, and before they had cleared the sixth 

 fence Tom saw it., and from that point he watched the colt and no 

 other horse in the race. The brook put eight out of the race, and 

 three more fell at the posts and rails beyond it. Among these was 

 our horse, and breaking away from Jack, he galloped down to the 

 bottom of the field before he was caught, and brought back. The 

 six other horses went on, Tom and the captain leading. This fall 

 lost us the race, but it also told us what a treasure we had got in 

 the bay colt out of Plover. He lost three fields before Jack had 

 mounted and set him going again, and there was not a mile and a 

 half left. But now his wonderful speed showed itself. Before 

 seven fences more were cleared he was well up with his horses. He 

 passed these one after the other ; he left the captain in the large 

 meadow next to the winning field, collared Tom at the last fence, 

 and ran him a slashing race home, which he lost only by about two 

 lengths. It was a very exciting race, and the air resounded with 

 shouts of "Crimson wins!" "Green and white wins!" the latter 

 being rather the most popular colour, as our horse was bred in the 

 county. 



Tom was now so satisfied with the colt's speed that he declared 

 if we would uij'er him for the hurdle-race he'd ride him for us for 

 nothing. This otfer was gladly accepted. There was a strong 

 field, and the old "long-headed dun," who had been kept for it, 

 was a hot favourite. Tom declared that this time " he'd reduce 

 the matter to a certainty." He went off at tremendous score, was 



