284 THE RACING WORLD 



make out the state of affairs through my glasses I 

 saw The Ruler much nearer last than first, and 

 there he stayed throughout — he was never in the 

 leading ten or twelve. The race fell to an animal 

 I had picked out when the weights appeared as 

 one of two or three that seemed to have it 

 between them, and one of these did not run. If I 

 had not heard of the invincible Ruler I should 

 have had a good race at the comfortable odds of 

 100 to 9. 'Twas ever thus — at least it was so 

 frequently, and for the matter of that is so still ! 

 Other good things, a rush of them, come to mind. 

 Does anyone remember The Sun .? (I am now 

 giving the real name : The Ruler is a pseudonym.) 

 The question is not put because The Sun belongs 

 to a remote past, out of the probable recollection 

 of racegoers ; he only ran, indeed, some ten years 

 since ; but I say " does anyone remember him " 

 merely because there is no reason why anyone 

 should. But it was believed very firmly that he 

 was a horse who would make a great name for 

 himself ; and a leading patron of the Manton 

 stable, one of the most famous owners of the latter 

 half of the last century, with characteristic kind- 

 ness told me what the colt had done and what he 

 was expected to do. Most likely the Manton 

 irial book is still in existence. It was at Good- 



