146 TRIALS. 



the old horse, steered by one of our most accomplished jockeys, 

 and very easily too. For some reason, probably because of 

 the ease with which the trial was won, I doubted its correct- 

 ness, although the noble earl was satisfied, and the jockey had 

 no excuse to offer for the result. However, for my own satis- 

 faction, it was arranged that the old horse should be left with 

 me to try the other with again, neither his lordship nor the 

 jockey being able to stay or take part in the proceeding. A 

 few days afterwards, in a second trial in every respect the 

 same as the first, the General, with a stable-boy on his back, 

 entirely reversed "the earlier result, beating his opponent as 

 easily as before he himself had been beaten, and confirming 

 my suspicions that all had not been right when the grey had 

 won too easily to please me. 



Watching this trial very narrowly, as I did, and seeing 

 nothing in it that I thought I could alter, I felt sure it was 

 correct, and that the first one, from some unaccountable mis- 

 take, must have been wrong. I communicated the result to his 

 lordship on seeing him at Ascot, but he could scarcely believe 

 it, and still considered that the first trial with a jockey up 

 must have been the right one. The jockey, when told of 

 it, was of the same opinion. The GeiieraTs opponent and 

 quondam victor ran, and was, as I was sure he would be, last. 

 Had prudential tactics not prevailed, there would have been 

 no second trial in this case ; the first would have been impli- 

 citly relied upon as correct. We should have lost our money, 

 and the blame would have been mine ; a sufficient reason, 

 on the trainer's part, to make " security doubly sure," by 

 trying a second time when the least doubt exists. 



To account for so extraordinary a change as in this case 

 within so short a time, is, I candidly admit, beyond my power. 

 The i)robability, however, is that General Hesse got off cross- 



