PURCHASE OF BAY MIDDLETON. *71 



they made haste to " get on," never caring whom 

 they forestalled. They soon found, however, that 

 Lord George was a dangerous customer to take 

 liberties with ; and I am perfectly confident that 

 his Lordship would not have allowed Elis to start 

 for the St Leger unless the bet of 12,000 to 

 1000 had been forthcoming. 



In the First October Meeting at Newmarket, 

 Elis again met Bay Middleton for the Grand Duke 

 Michael Stakes ; but Lord George, satisfied that 

 although Elis had won the St Leger, Bay Mid- 

 dleton was the better animal, invested merely a t 

 trifle on his own horse. In the race Bay Middle- 

 ton, beautifully ridden by Jem Robinson, beat 

 Elis, ridden by J. B. Bay, rather easily, and 

 proved to be what Lord George considered him. 

 Determined to acquire possession of this grand 

 horse, Lord George offered Lord Jersey 4000 

 guineas (the largest sum ever paid for a horse 

 down to that time) for Bay Middleton, which 

 Lord Jersey accepted. Lord George then pro- 

 posed to make use of Elis's van in order to con- 

 vey Bay Middleton to Danebury in it. Upon 

 this " Tiny " Edwards, Lord Jersey's trainer, 

 exclaimed, " You may send the van, my Lord, if 

 you like, but all Newmarket will not get Bay 

 Middleton into it ! " As usual, his Lordship was 

 not to be turned from his purpose. The van 

 was sent, and Bay Middleton was easily induced 

 to enter it, and was thus conveyed to Danebury, 



