SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



Anyhow, when the storm had cleared the air, I 

 cooled down. "After all," I said, "I'm not so 

 particular about Morris. Damme, my lord, you can 

 have him. I'll put Heartfield on mine, and beat 

 you." Practitioner was a hot favourite, while 8's 

 and lO's were laid against Hawkshaw, on whom I 

 had only a " fiver." Curiously, the finish was left 

 to the pair, and the upshot of an exciting struggle 

 was supremacy for Hawkshaw and Heartfield by a 

 neck. I must say his lordship took the set-back in 

 the best style. He laughed heartily, shook hands, 

 and praised Heartfield without stint. 



It would indeed be a difficult task to praise Heart- 

 field too highly, and to show the sincerity of my 

 words, I may mention that on one occasion the 

 excellence of his horsemanship cost me a Cesarewitch. 

 The matter came about this way : in 1864 I claimed 

 a chestnut two-year-old colt by Marsyas (which I 

 named Verdant), at Brighton, from William Day 

 for 150 sovs., and soon discovered that in him I had 

 gained possession of a rattling stayer. Evidence of 

 this was forthcoming in the spring of the following 

 season, when, with Heartfield up, he dead-heated 

 with Golden Dust (T. Cannon) over the Ditch Mile, 

 and won the decider in a canter. In the Great Ebor 

 Handicap he was nicely weighted, and, though not 

 quite ready, I determined he should take his chance, 



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