62 THE RACING WORLD 



Going down to look at my horses and speculate 

 on what they would do next year was always a 

 pleasure during the autumn and winter, and one 

 day at the station I met the old friend who had 

 given me his idea about the probable expense of 

 racing. He asked me how many I had bought, 

 and I told him nine, adding " There ought to be 

 one good one in the lot, at any rate ! " " I hope 

 so indeed," he replied, not at all unkindly, but still 

 in a sort of doubtful tone, which showed that 

 he did not share my conviction. 



As to entries, I recognised that this was a 

 matter in which I needed guidance, and it was 

 arranged that my trainer should send me sug- 

 gestions, which of course I could follow or amend 

 — that is to say, alter — as I thought best. By 

 degrees I learned something — I was about to say 

 a good deal — about " placing " ; but, anxious to 

 do a little on my own initiative, I naturally made 

 blunders, forgetting to claim breeding allowances, 

 claiming them incorrectly, and on one occasion, 

 not noticing that the winner was to be sold for 

 a hundred sovereigns, put the hope of the flock 

 into a selling race. 



This animal was one about whom there really 

 did appear good cause to be sanguine. I had given 

 over I, GOO guineas each for two ; this was the 



