io3 PREPARATION. 



Jester was one of the most wonderful horses of his day in 

 respect to the improvement he made between his two and 

 three-year-old form. As a two-year-old he ran no fewer 

 than fourteen times, mostly in Selling Plates, without win- 

 ning. As a three-year-old he started a new career by win- 

 ning at Winchester, after being beaten at Epsom. He won a 

 second race at Winchester ; and the third time at Ascot, 

 where he was claimed for ^i,ooo. At the same meeting 

 he won another race, and was sold for ;,r4,ooo. Yet this 

 wretched plater could have been had as a two year-old over 

 and over again at Selling Races for less than ^loo. The 

 real mystery here consisted in the fact that he was undoubt- 

 edly run out of his course — a short distance instead of a long 

 one — and in all probability was never tried privately; his 

 sterling merit being only shown, when in public he proved he 

 was, over a distance of ground, about five stone better than 

 over a short course. 



In this case condition had nothing to do with the wonderful 

 alteration, as he remained in the same hands, and therefore 

 no doubt received the same treatment one year as he did the 

 other. It is certain, also, that he would not have been run 

 unfit in Selling Races, for fear of losing him, if his merits had 

 been known beforehand. Neither the trainer nor the public 

 discovered the improvement he had made at three years old, 

 until his public form showed it. No, not even that lynx- 

 eyed individual, the tout, who daily saw him at work ; or, if 

 this latter gentleman did, by some strange oversight he forgot 

 to mention the astounding fact to his numerous patrons, even 

 in his stereotyped form, as " going well and strong, and 

 pulling up sound." So much for the valuable services of 

 such fellows. 



We now come to the performance of tlic second horse 



