SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



" Indeed ! I rather fancy not. But if he has been 

 ■so sold it's a ' barney.' A different owner maybe, 

 but the same stable. When you see Mr. Sturt 

 (now Lord Alington), who is staying at Lord Scar- 

 brough's, tell him he has made a very bad bargain 

 by selling him at that price. And tell him also you 

 can get £1000 for him, which I will give myself." 



" Nonsense ! You're mad, Hodgman." 



" Well, I'm not particular to a hundred or so. 

 Oet him for 1200 if you can ; if not, 1500 ; and I'll 

 pay you in the morning." 



Next day the Admiral made haste to meet me by the 

 ^' Round Tower " — the Stewards' Stand — remarking : 

 "You are perfectly right about Gridiron. I don't 

 believe they would take 2000 for him. What an 

 old fool they would have made me look ! " When 

 the handicap appeared Gridiron had not 6 st. 4 lb., 

 but 7 st. 13 lb., and even under that substantial 

 burden made a formidable show. With 6 st. 4 lb. 

 the affair would have been a " walk-over." 



On Tuesday, July 31, 1860, I was presiding at a 

 dinner at the " Old Ship," Brighton, when Mr. 

 Dorling, father of the present Clerk of the Course, 

 walked in and said, " Oh, Mr. Hodgman, I've seen 

 Admiral Rous, and he asked me to give you this 

 handicap for you to look over. If you see anything 

 needing alteration, wiU you kindly do it ? " 



4S 



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