SELLING RACES 127 



pected way, possibly by shaking off some ailment 

 which has affected them, and has not been recognised 

 by their first trainer ; or it may be that he has mis- 

 understood their constitution or capacity, so that in 

 more appreciative hands they do better. If space 

 permitted, a string of examples might be given, but 

 the case of Victor Wild may be quoted as a remark- 

 able one. He belonged to Golding, a particularly 

 shrewd and capable trainer, who makes as few mistakes 

 as any one, but who, however, doubtless for some 

 reason that seemed good at the time, put him in 

 a wretched little ^100 selling race, the Brockhurst 

 Plate, at the now extinct Portsmouth Park Meeting. 

 He won by a couple of lengths from the best of four 

 wretches who followed him, and, entered to be sold 

 for ^100, fetched 330 guineas — less than a twentieth 

 part of his value. He next ran in a Nursery Handicap 

 with a selling clause, met opponents of the most 

 moderate character, actually receiving weight from 

 some of them, and won comfortably. This time he 

 was bought in for 640 guineas, and gradually started 

 the career in the course of which he has often so 

 memorably distinguished himself. Hampton, who 

 won such fame as a sire, also figured in selling races. 

 Thus a "plater" may become a famous horse ; but he 

 will be an exception to the rule, for the course of the 

 plater is almost invariably down hill by more or less 

 rapid stages. 



