SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



won in a common canter, and after her twin successes 

 those who had laid her so deeply for the Chester 

 Cup were indeed relieved that she had been 

 scratched. Had she been able to run she must, as 

 I have said, won, and the Ring would have received 

 a shaking up of unparalleled character. 



How good Virago was even Mr. Padwick had no 

 idea — not to the day of his death. John Day was a 

 very reticent person, and while giving Mr. Padwick 

 a general idea, he withheld the details. Mr. William 

 Day says Virago " was tried at Findon before the 

 Epsom Spring Meeting, with Little Harry, a five 

 year old, at 10 lb., and beat him easy over two and 

 a quarter miles, myself riding the old one, and the 

 rest beat a long way. This, at least, proved how 

 she was, if we may take it that she was Little 

 Harry's equal at even weights, and he afterwards 

 won the Ascot Stakes, carrying 8 st. 7 lb., beating 

 Kingston, the same age, at 7 lb., and fourteen others." 

 It is to be feared that when penning those sentences 

 Mr. Day's memory was as treacherous as his know- 

 ledge of the trial weights was fanciful. It may be 

 said that a son should know more of his father's 

 business than one outside the family. Yet I venture 

 to state that only one man, besides the trainer, knew 

 the real strength of Virago's trial for the Epsom 

 events, and that was my old friend, Mr. George 



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