

ROYAL GEORGE AT NEWMARKET. 83 



George Watson (one of his most intimate friends), 

 and by Mr Boyce and my father, who was then 

 head-lad to Mr Boyce. They told Lord George 

 Cavendish that the Yorkshire gentlemen had mus- 

 tered in great force at Newmarket to back Filho, 

 whom they thought invincible. " I am glad to 

 hear it," rejoined " Royal George," " as I have 

 brought my strong-box with me." When his 

 Lordship entered the betting-rooms on the night 

 before the match, he was received with three times 

 three by the north-country sportsmen. Not much 

 time was wasted in useless preliminaries. His 

 Lordship was assailed on all sides by offers to 

 bet 500 to 400 on Filho, and, taking out his 

 betting-book with the utmost composure, he wrote 

 down all the bets offered on those terms. Then 

 there was a momentary lull, to which Lord George 

 put an end by offering to bet 500 even that Sir 

 Joshua won. Again he was accommodated to a 

 very large extent, and again he tired out all the 

 backers of Filho at even money. Finally, looking 

 round the room, the indomitable backer of Sir 

 Joshua exclaimed, "As no one will go on backing 

 Filho at evens, I shall be happy, before going, to 

 bet 500 to 400 on the little horse as often as any 

 one will take it." The last voice heard that night 

 was Lord George Cavendish's, as he shouted out, 

 " Five hundred to four on Sir Joshua ! " without 

 finding a taker. 



How much money Lord George Cavendish staked 



