SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



off In succession the Great Northern Handicap 

 (6 to 4 on), the Flying Dutchman's Handicap (4 to 1 

 on), a 1000 guineas stakes at Newmarket First 

 Spring Meeting (3 to 1 on), the Goodwood Cup 

 (6 to 1 on), the Nassau Stakes (" Any odds," says 

 the Calendar, "on Virago"), and the Yorkshire 

 Oaks ("High odds on Virago"). Then came the 

 defeat mentioned ; but she speedil}^ picked up the 

 winning skein, taking the Cup at Warwick and the 

 Doncaster Cup. 



Many as are the tales that have been told about 

 the eccentric Lord Glasgow, the yield Is even at this 

 time far from exhausted. A more eccentric man 

 scarcely ever breathed ; and I was present at the 

 dinner-table when he asked Admiral Rous how he 

 had handicapped a certain horse of his. On learning 

 the weight he burst into a violent fit of Indignation 

 — ^not because he thought he had too much to carry, 

 but because he reckoned he had too little ! 



" If, Admiral," he exclaimed, " you don't put 7 lb. 

 more on I'll scratch him this instant." 



" You have," said the Admiral, " very little chance 

 as matters are ; but if you wish it, you can have 

 7 lbs. more." And of course the horse did not win. 



" Don't hesitate to shoot ! " was an instruction 

 that gained a certain statesman of modern time? ^^ 

 an amount of notoriety that he could readily have 



87 G 



