SURPLICE AS A YEARLING. 257 



had been ascertained to my entire satisfaction. 

 A commission was given by his Lordship, with 

 Mr Mostyn's consent and approval, to back Sur- 

 plice for the Derby, and in it the late Duke of 

 Richmond and every member of the Goodwood 

 family participated, obtaining liberal odds. When 

 Surplice made his debut for the Ham Stakes, at 

 Goodwood, in 1847, he was ridden by Flatman, 

 who received orders to make a good pace, and to 

 keep him going, as he was a very idle horse. I 

 impressed upon Flatman also the necessity of not 

 easing or checking his mount if he found himself 

 (as I expected he would) to be winning easily. 

 He told me after the race that he had won before 

 half the distance was run, but that he let him 

 stride along at three-parts speed, winning in a 

 common canter. The betting was 7 to 4 on Sur- 

 plice, "who," according to the 'Racing Calendar/ 

 " took the lead, kept it, and won very easily by 

 two lengths." 



It was natural that such a fine, upstanding, 

 good - looking colt, the son of Touchstone and 

 Crucifix, should attract very general attention 

 and admiration, with the result that, after his easy 

 victory in the Ham, Surplice was freely backed 

 for the Derby at comparatively short odds. The 

 Ham was run for as usual on the first day ; and 

 upon the last day of the meeting Surplice and 

 Loadstone were engaged in a 200 Sovereign 

 Two-year-old Stakes, with eight subscribers. I 



E, 



