SIXTY YEARS ON THE TUKF 



at my horse after the race, and was the reverse of 

 pleased. He struck me as being on the "beefy" 

 side, and I did not, knowing what a gross feeder he 

 was, think he had had sufficient work. The form, I 

 was certain, was much wTong, as Speculum ran 

 third ; and at any time Paul Jones was 5 lb. and a 

 neck in front of the Duke of Newcastle's colt. He 

 was indulged with a walk-over for the Rous Stakes 

 at Goodwood, and failed later in the afternoon to o-et 

 a place in the Stewards' Cup — Avon by Vex,* who 



« Vex was a brown filly by Vedette from Flying Duchess ; hence 

 full sister to Galopin, who was foaled in 1872. I could make nothing 

 much of Vex, for though a beautiful lengthy filly she was of so ex- 

 citable a disposition that she used to beat herself at the post, the 

 perspiration pouring off her in, so to say, bucketsf ul style. I thought 

 she would suit Lord Westmorland for the matches of which he Cas 

 so fond, as she, when all right, went like the wind. She cost me only 

 96 guineas, at auction in Newmarket High Street. After her Good- 

 wood exposition of brilliancy I was naturally keen on her relatives. 

 But though I bought the progeny of Flying Duchess from Mr. 

 Simpson for three years, they did not realise expectations. In truth, 

 they no more resembled Vex than a hen does a horse ; and I am as 

 sure as I am of my own existence they were not by Vedette. The 

 fact was, Mr. Simpson's stud was conducted in deplorable fashion. 

 The whole business was a hotch-potch, through the dilatoriness and 

 haphazard ways of Mr. Simpson and his associates. There is only 

 one ending to an establishment so conducted, and that bankruptcy, 

 which speedily overtook the owner of Vedette. Had misfortune not 

 befallen him, I should certainly have come into possession of 

 Galopin, whose likeness to his full sister. Vex, was as pronounced as 

 were his excitable ways. I have often been asked whether I thought 

 the alleged Vedette-Flying Duchess produce I purchased between 

 Vex and Galopin were by Vedette, and I have ever answered in the 

 negative. 



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