INSTANCES OF GROUNDLESS COMPLAINTS. 223 



Caesarewitch and the Cambridgeshire, in both of which he was 

 bound to be in at a light weight from his previous running in 

 other hands. He never ran in pubh'c whilst with me. He 

 was, however, unfortunately entered in the Leamington 

 Stakes at Warwick, at 5 st. 7 lbs., and was ordered to 

 be sent there. When he arrived, the owner informed me 

 that some one had forestalled him in the market, to which 

 I replied, " At your own request the horse has not been 

 trained. Why, therefore, do you want to back him, or 

 even run him ? Why not keep him for his two races in the 

 autumn at Newmarket, as previously arranged .■* " The horse, 

 after being kept wavering in the market to the very last 

 minute, was struck out, and then his owner said to me, " I 

 have backed Petra for ;^2,ooo, or rather I stand it in the 

 stable commission ;" and forthwith, without a word of ex- 

 planation, then or since, ordered me to give Romulus up to 

 the trainer of Petra. I may, perhaps, add that Petra was the 

 first animal beaten, or was so to all appearance, pulling up 

 long before the winning-post was reached, and that Romulus 

 died a maiden. He was a very sound horse, although I heard 

 he afterwards broke down in his new trainer's hands ; but be 

 that as it may, he never won a race whilst in them, and his 

 owner soon afterwards retired from the turf. 



It is such conduct as here has been illustrated that brings 

 obloquy upon trainers and jockeys. Yet there appears to be 

 some fatality attending the fortunes of those who stray from 

 the path of strict honour ; for in no one case can I call to 

 mind any one who derived permanent benefit from such 

 graceless acts. 



As to the effects upon innocent trainers and jockeys, two 

 cases may be cited in illustration from bygone days. Mr. 

 Chifney — certainly the most accomplished, and probably the 



