64 EARLY RACING DAYS. 



gave him 7 Ib. and 21 Ib. to The Drummer, beat- 

 ing both over the St Leger distance. This was 

 most encouraging to Lord George, who was greatly 

 excited, and more than ever anxious to have his 

 wonderful new van completed. As John Doe was 

 obliged to return home to Newmarket for a short 

 time, my father took temporary charge of the 

 horse, and had many communications made to 

 him by Lord George on the subject of the van. 

 My father's interest in it was naturally as great 

 as that of his Lordship, and he assisted John Doe 

 in every possible way to prepare Elis for the race, 

 and to make him handy for entering the van. At 

 last the day arrived for the machine to reach 

 Goodwood, and preparations were made for pack- 

 ing Elis and The Drummer into it side by side, 

 and despatching them to Doncaster. Lord George, 

 who had been a frequent visitor to Goodwood 

 while Elis was there, and who posted down from 

 London or from Andover to see his favourite, was 

 on the spot when the van arrived. He inspected 

 it inside and out with the greatest care, and was 

 vastly pleased with the result of the examination. 

 Next he proceeded to inquire with characteristic 

 thoroughness what the two horses would require 

 on the road, and gave orders that until the St 

 Leger was over Elis should eat no corn or hay 

 except what was drawn from my father's granary 

 at Goodwood. Even the sieve out of which the 

 horse was fed was to be taken from Goodwood. 



