SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



" I'll take Sykes," I said. 



" Right, Hodgman ! Two thousand ? " 



" No. I'm finished." 



"I'll bet you the other thousand," called out 

 Morris. 



" Right." 



Then in stentorian tones the Major cried, " Robgill 

 beats anything. I'll bet 5000 to 4000." 



" Good bye, Major," was my retort. "You've settled 

 matters now. Morris and I have lost our hundreds. 

 But you'll have to pay us the thousands." 



Well, Robgill, who did start favourite, was not 

 placed, and Mr. Sykes won with plenty in hand by 

 a couple of lengths, the present trainer, Mr. Fred 

 Bates, riding him. Thus, in eventful fashion, Mr. 

 Sykes, as a five-year-old, won the race he could not, 

 health continued, have lost as a three. 



Muscovite, I may add, was one of those beaten 



by Mr. Sykes. A rare good horse was this son of 



Hetman Platoff, but he was outhandicapped when 



asked to give Mr. Sykes, of the same age, 2 st. 



11 lb. His chance had come in the previous year 



(1854), when, by-the-bye, Mr. Greville, his owner, 



did not get all the money he won. A very " close " 



sort was Mr. Greville. I remember him once saying, 



" If you should try a horse in your bedroom by 



yourself, by heavens the result would be known all 



64 



