220 LATTER HALF OF RACING SEASON OF 1845. 



We did not get back to Harcourt House until 

 11 P.M. As none of our horses had been struck 

 out of the Great Yorkshire Handicap, Mr Charles 

 Weatherby kindly sent a messenger to Har- 

 court House with a letter asking me to remind 

 his Lordship that he had several horses engaged 

 in that race, all of which would accept unless he 

 declared forfeit for some of them before midnight. 

 I wrote back hurriedly to Mr Weatherby, thanking 

 him in Lord George's name for his considerate 

 attention ; and adding that, as we had not had 

 time to look over the handicap, all his Lordship's 

 horses had better remain in. 



When I was saddling My Mary I found that his 

 Lordship was unusually anxious. He said to me, 

 " I suppose we had better wait with the mare, as 

 last year she always showed more speed than 

 stoutness." I assured his Lordship that he would 

 find her a very different animal to-day from what 

 she was last year, when, from what I saw of her 

 condition and excitability, it was impossible to 

 train her. " She will never be fitter," I added, 

 " than she is to-day ; and as she has stood a good 

 preparation, and could not be better in, she ought 

 to be allowed to make the pace good if nothing 

 else does." His Lordship consented, although he 

 did so silently, and without much approving the 

 policy I suggested. I felt confident, however, 

 that, if the pace was 'good and true, My Mary 

 would win before they got to the Red House, 



