270 THE RACING WORLD 



was the " pea," In truth she was not at all that 

 sort of vegetable. A great many people were 

 sadly disappointed when Moorhen, duly sent to 

 Newmarket, and backed down to a short price, 

 was not among the starters, and when the race fell 

 to her stable companion Gay Hussar. The man- 

 ager of the stable had selected Martingale and one 

 or two other acquaintances as the repositories of 

 his " secret," knowing full well that it would leak 

 out and spread till everybody knew it — in con- 

 fidence to the end ; but in truth there had never 

 been any intention of running Moorhen, and every 

 intention of winning with Gay Hussar, who, 

 having been carefully " readied " all the year, had 

 about a stone in hand. 



As for unveracity, some men apparently cannot 

 speak the truth about horses. I do not know 

 whether they try very hard, but, if so, they fail. 

 A good many years ago a very prominent owner 

 was staying with a friend for one of the principal 

 meetings, and it was known to the numerous 

 party who were enjoying the hospitality of their 

 popular host that this owner was having a horse 

 tried on the Monday for a race to be run later in 

 the week. It was understood, furthermore, that 

 his trainer would let him know the result of the 

 gallop on the Tuesday morning ; and the party 



