i86 THE TURF 



there having been only ten starters, and Zoedone won 

 in the hands of her Hungarian owner, Count Kinsky. 

 One of the behefs in regard to the race used to be 

 that it was well-nigh impossible for a horse to win on 

 his first essay over the Liverpool country ; but this 

 was disproved in 1884 by the success of Voluptuary. 

 Roquefort, the winner in 1885, was one of the horses 

 that was frequently what is called "there or there- 

 abouts," and it is worthy of note that chance only led 

 to his appearance at Liverpool, for Colonel Fisher, 

 now commanding the loth Hussars, had at one time 

 made up his mind to turn him out of training, as he 

 had a confirmed habit of trying to bolt if run on a 

 right-handed course. When he appeared at Sandown 

 a detachment of boys from the Bishop's Sutton stable 

 was accustomed to stand at the top of the hill and en- 

 deavour to induce Roquefort to keep in the track, his 

 rooted disposition being to swing round to the left and 

 bolt. Liverpool, however, is left-handed, and he ran 

 third there in 1884, after which, however. Colonel 

 Fisher had the bad luck to sell him for 1,250 guineas, 

 so that he was in other ownership when he won the 

 next year. Persons who are not experienced in turf 

 affairs are usually convinced that trainers are well-nigh 

 infallible guides as to the chances possessed by the 

 horses in their stables, but an example of the fact that 

 this is not so was furnished in 1880. Tom Cannon of 

 Danebury had two horses in the race this year, Aladdin, 

 belonging to Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, and Playfair, 



