108 REMOVAL FROM DANEBURY. 



thought with his bandaged legs he could not be 

 trained to win a Derby. On the following Thurs- 

 day Gaper ran and won again, beating New Brigh- 

 ton and Jerry Sneak for a sweepstakes of 200 

 sovereigns each, D.M. John Day, having laid 

 20,000 to 250 against him, examined him very 

 anxiously, and still thought he could have no 

 chance of winning the Derby with such doubtful 

 legs. Cotherstone, whom Gaper had beaten for 

 the Criterion, won the Two Thousand Guineas 

 easily, which increased Lord George's confidence 

 in Gaper, and he continued to back him till he 

 stood to win about 135,000 upon the horse. On 

 account of his legs Gaper was not tried previously 

 to running for his engagements at Newmarket ; 

 but about a fortnight after the Two Thousand he 

 was stripped and had a rough gallop of a mile and 

 a quarter, when he won with ridiculous ease. On 

 the 20th of May, about a week before the Derby, 

 he was again tried a mile and a half with Discord 

 (the Melody colt before alluded to) and others, 

 when he won very easily indeed. This raised his 

 Lordship's hopes and expectations greatly, more 

 especially as Gaper appeared to be perfectly sound, 

 and none the worse for his races and trials. Every 

 precaution was taken to get him safely to Epsom 

 and to the Derby post ; and in order to test the 

 form of Discord, he was started for the Craven 

 Stakes on the first day, which he won, to the 

 great surprise of Lord George, beating Knight of 



