FAMOUS HORSES 71 



handsome little horse, called The Bard, had won the 

 Brocklesby Stakes at Lincoln, and ran sixteen times 

 during the season without ever having been beaten. 

 A colt named Saraband had come out at Kempton 

 and won his race so easily that there seemed to be no 

 saying how good he was ; and Matthew Dawson was 

 training a son of Lord Lyon, named Minting, whom 

 he declared to be one of the very best animals he had 

 ever known. Here, it will be seen, was material for most 

 exciting contests ; and, indeed, a race has rarely been 

 more absorbing than the Two Thousand Guineas of 

 1886. Matthew Dawson's opinion of Minting led to 

 his starting favourite at even money ; in many cases 

 odds were laid on him, though the Racing Calendar 

 returns his price at 11 to 10 against. Saraband was 

 second favourite at 3 to i, and Ormonde came next at 

 7 to 2 ; 33 to I bar three being the price of those next 

 in demand, if it can be said that there was any sort of 

 demand for them. Mephisto and St. Mirin figured at 

 these odds. Watts rode Minting, Archer was on 

 Saraband, George Barrett on Ormonde, and the race 

 was never in doubt. At the distance Minting- was 

 rolling about hopelessly beaten, and Ormonde won in 

 a canter. So unmistakable was the result that Mr. 

 Vyner, the owner of Minting, perceived he could have 

 no chance for the Derby, and with great discretion 

 determined to reserve his horse for the Grand Prix. 

 Of course Ormonde was a very strong favourite for 

 the Derby, nothing else being supposed to have 



