SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



but he hesitated to take it, saying, " Send it to the- 

 proper place." I told him I had crossed the bet out, 

 and he would oblige me by taking the note. That 

 transaction opened ujd an acquaintance that developed 

 into an enduring friendship ; and in later years the 

 Admiral, as he became, scarcely ever published a 

 handicap without first asking, and often taking, my 

 opinion. 



A rather striking instance of acceptance of my 

 views by the Admiral occurred in 1861 over a horse 

 named Gridiron, a four-year old bay colt by Daniel 

 O'Rourke out of Monge's dam. At the Lewes 

 Summer Meeting I had seen him run in the Lewes 

 Handicap, distance two miles. To my mind he 

 could have been a deal nearer the winner, Stam- 

 pedo, who beat my three-year-old, Balham, by 

 three lengths. Fordham, who rode in the race, was 

 fully of my opinion, advising me to try and buy 

 Gridiron, as only want of condition prevented him 

 romping in. Well, Gridiron was entered for the 

 Cesarewitch, and at the ensuing York August 

 gathering the Admiral gave me the weights to 

 glance at. One of my first searches was for Grid- 

 iron, whom I found on the 6 st. 4 lb. mark. 

 *' Admiral, you have given Gridiron this race." 

 " Oh, nonsense ! A very bad horse. He's been 

 sold for £200," 



47 



