SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



ing, and more by accident than knowledge of their 

 whereabouts the parties came together. Mr. Lam- 

 bert and I had the arrangement of the weights, 

 and not knowing quite how good Tame Deer was, 

 we put him in at evens with Rocket, to ensure a 

 cUnking pace, while Queenstown was allowed 18 lb. 

 We expected Rocket to win, but Tame Deer came 

 right away, and Rocket was beaten a couple of 

 lengths by Queenstown, Sweet William breaking 

 down. On this form, apparently. Rocket would win 

 no Cesarewitch, and, rather than bother in that 

 direction, I was more intent on securing Tame Deer. 

 I said to Mr. Lambert, " I'm afraid it's no go. I shall 

 get off and see Ned Smith. If he will sell, I'll buy 

 Tame Deer." Smith, who was a bit seedy, I found in 

 bed. I told him every detail of the trial, and said, 

 " Now, Ned, you owe me a lot of money. I've tried 

 to be a friend to you. Not one of the horses you 

 have sold me has been of any account. So I think 

 you should sell me Tame Deer. I'll give you a 

 thousand this moment for him." Smith looked 

 rather sick, and said, " I'm much obliged to you, 

 George. But I can't sell." This told me it was not 

 his horse. 



But to take up the tale of Rocket's trial and 

 Rocket's Cesarewitch. The trial, unlike the birth 

 of a certain Thackerayian character, was not 



122 



