SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



dispensed with. In this direction, so far as his 

 horses were concerned, the Earl of Glasgow knew 

 no such word as " hesitation," his thinnlng-out 

 process by aid of the gun being a common topic of 

 conversation at the period he figured largely on the 

 Turf A bad horse. In his opinion, was only fit to 

 be shot ; and as the majority of his racing stud were 

 indifferent, there was ample need for gunpowder. 



On one occasion, however, the horses beat their 

 master. The Incidents I refer to occurred on Saturday, 

 October 30, 1852, at Newmarket. On Friday night 

 Lord Glasgow declared that he Intended to run six 

 horses the next day, and that the losers should pay 

 the penalty of death. The news spread in wildfire 

 fashion, and many who originally proposed "cutting" 

 the last day of the spun-out Houghton proceedings 

 changed their plans. The first to take her chance 

 of life or death was Senorlta, a bay filly by Hetman 

 Platoif, matched against Lord Cllfden's Plunkett over 

 the last half of the Abingdon Mile. 



" Good-bye, my girl ! Good-bye, my beauty ! 

 We've seen the last of you ! " 



Such and various were the cries from the crowded 

 coaches as she went to the post ; while some who 

 were near her at saddllng-tlme plucked hairs from 

 her tail. What betting existed — there was, indeed, 

 very little owing to the excitement — favoured 



88 



