17 



(EAMINGTON was got by Faugh-a-Ballagh. 

 His dam was a very high-bred mare by Pan- 

 taloon. Leamington was foaled in 1853, and 

 was run when a two-year-old in the name of 

 his breeder, Mr. Halford. It is said, however, that he had 

 already been sold to Mr. Higgins, an innkeeper of North- 

 ampton, who was connected with Tom Parr and his son 

 Edward, who in turn were connected with Starkie. He 

 first started at Warwick, in the Woodcote Stakes for two- 

 year-olds, and won. At Nottingham he was beaten in the 

 Robin Hood Stakes, and also in the Bunney Park Stakes. 

 He was also beaten in the Convivial Produce Stakes at York. 

 At Derby he won the Chesterfield Stakes. In 1856 his 

 first start was for the Derby. On the day of the race he was 

 suffering from an attack of the throat disease called stran- 

 gles, which had defeated Stockwell four years before. The 

 party now determined to play him for big handicaps. He 

 was started in four little ones, and was beaten with light 

 weights up, the last of them 84 fibs. They then let him 

 win a half-mile race, however, at Wolverhampton. At 

 Warwick, in the Town Plate, he was beaten; at Leicester, 

 in a half-mile handicap, he was beaten; at Shrewsbury, in 

 the Corporation Plate, he was beaten ; but he won the 

 Stewards' Cup, one mile, with 98 Ibs., and beat a large 

 field of horses. Parr & Co. must have been hard up then, 

 so they won this stake to enable them to pay their way. 

 The horse was entered for the Chester Cup, two miles and 

 a quarter, to be run for on the 6th of May, 1857. His 

 party had so managed that Leamington was regarded as 

 a non-stayer, and before the weights came out 100 to 1 

 was laid against him. Leamington was weighted with 

 93 Ibs., and they knew he could win with 110 Ibs. 

 Before the start Leamington was at 6 to 1, while Com- 

 motion, a three-year old, with 83 Ibs., was at 3 to 1. 

 Thirty-five started. David Hughes, the boy who had 

 always ridden Leamington in his work, was in the saddle, 

 and Edward Parr's last words to him were : " Keep out of 

 the crowd. When you have gone two miles call upon 

 Leamington, and he will bring you through." The horse 

 stood very calm and quiet at the post, while many of the 

 others were dancing and scuffling about. Away they went ! 

 Hughes galloped on the outside of them all for two miles, 

 then let Leamington shoot out, and he ran clean away from 

 them, and won in a walk. He next started for the Gold 

 Cup at Ascot, and was not placed. Three three-year-olds 

 Skirmisher, Gemma di Vergy, and Saunterer ran first, 

 second, and third. At Goodwood, Leamington was in the 

 Goodwood Stakes, Cup course, two miles and a half. His 

 weight was 118 fibs. Fisherman, the only horse that carried 

 more, had 124 fibs. Nineteen ran. Fisherman was a hot 

 favorite, and 100 to 3 was laid against Leamington at the 

 3 



start. But his time was come again. He won easily by a 

 length, ridden by Tom Aldcroft, and Gunboat, a very good 

 three-year-old, with 91 Ibs., was second. Fisherman was 

 not placed. This was a magnificent performance on the 

 part of Leamington. He started in the Chesterfield Cup 

 at the same meeting, with the top-weight, 131 fibs., and was 

 not placed. At Egham he was beaten in the Queen's Plate, 

 won by Fisherman. In 1858 he ran but once, which was 

 in the Cesarewitch. The Admiral had now found him out, 

 and put 130 Ibs. upon him, which was 30 fibs, more than 

 he allotted to Prioress, of the same age. Rocket, to whom 

 Leamington was giving 42 fibs., won. 



In the following spring, Fisherman and Leamington 

 were accordingly entered in the Chester Cup. The former 

 had 126 fibs, allotted to him, and Leamington got off with 

 114 fibs. He had to meet four-year-olds at a difference of 

 38 fibs, and 40 fibs. The public in general concluded that 

 he could not do it, and though the bookmakers dreaded 

 him, because of his former victory in the Chester Cup and 

 that in the Goodwood Stakes, in both of which his party 

 hit them very hard, they laid heavy odds against him. They 

 started, and Leamington got a bad start, which is a very bad 

 thing on theRhoodee; but when Wells really set him a-going 

 he galloped clean through the other two-and-thirty without 

 any apparent exertion, and won in a canter by two lengths. 

 The four-year-old Herne, to whom Leamington gave 26 Ibs., 

 was second. Botany, another four-year-old, to whom he 

 gave 38 Ibs., was third. Prioress was fourth. Fisherman, 

 Lifeboat, .Underhand, and some other very famous horses, 

 were among the twenty-nine who were not placed. There 

 was in truth nothing in it at the finish but Leamington, 

 and Mr. Minor said " it seemed to me that he could have 

 won with nine stone (126 Ibs.)." At Ascot Heath, Leam- 

 ington, with 131 fibs., ran second to Schism for the Queen's 

 Gold Vase. He gave the winner 34 Ibs., and beat Tourna- 

 ment, Miss Cath, and Black Tommy. In the Goodwood 

 Cup, with 138 R>s., he was not placed. His off fore leg was 

 under suspicion. In the spring his party, confident of his 

 great staying powers, had challenged for The Whip, over 

 four miles, with 140 fibs. up. This race was to be run in 

 October. During his preparation for it, Leamington broke 

 down in his off fore leg, and the courses of England knew 

 the great modern race-horse no more. Leamington lost 

 many races, but, as Mr. Minor said, with a low laugh, 

 " He never lost when his party had their money on. after 

 his defeat in the Derby." Leamington went to the stud 

 in 1860, and stood at the Rawcliffe Paddocks, getting 

 many winners. In 1865 he was purchased by Mr. R. W. 

 Cameron, of Clifton Stud Farm, for 1575, and brought 

 over to this country, and is now the property of Mr. A. 

 Welch, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. N. T. Sportsman. 



