276 THE DERBY OF 1848. 



unfavourable opinion of his mount, after riding 

 Surplice over the course the day before the Derby, 

 that Jem Robinson had conceived when he rode 

 him in a gallop at Goodwood. What increased 

 Templeman's dislike to Surplice was, that the horse 

 refused to cross the tan road when ridden at a 

 foot's-pace down the course, on his way to the 

 starting-post. All these difficulties and gloomy 

 prognostications tended, of course, to increase my 

 anxiety, and made it difficult for me to fulfil my 

 engagement never to let Surplice out of my 

 sight, unless he was locked up in his loose-box. 

 My favourite old pony, with whom Surplice was 

 well acquainted, enabled me, however, to keep close 

 to him when walking at exercise. The curiosity 

 and excitement of the crowd were so great, that it 

 was extremely difficult for Surplice to make his 

 way through them, so closely was he mobbed. I 

 found Leadbetter and the Goodwood stable lads of 

 great assistance in this emergency ; but it was for- 

 tunate that Surplice was naturally unexcitable and 

 quiet, as he was followed to his stable-door by a 

 large host of gentlemen on horseback, who would 

 have driven a nervous horse of Bay Middleton's 

 type wild with irritability. In those days there 

 was on the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preced- 

 ing the Derby, a vast concourse of people assembled 

 at Epsom to see the Derby horses gallop. Never, 

 however, did I witness such a sensational scene, or 

 such intense curiosity as was manifested to catch a 



