346 " MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE ! " 



indeed here, though not so lucky as the next purchase, 

 Merman, whom Mr W. R. Wilson had just offered me by 

 the following cable, in November, 1896 : 



Merman won Williamstown Cup. Best horse in Australia to 

 win long-distance handicap in England. Legs like steel. 1600 

 guineas . 



when Mrs Langtry came into the office in Pall Mall 

 and said she wanted to buy a horse that would win her 

 a good race. I said I could not for the moment think of 

 one in England, but would buy her a Cesarewitch winner 

 in Australia if she liked. 



She is a courageous lady, and on being shown the cable 

 and being assured by me that the sender was a man on 

 whom you could lay your life, she agreed without hesita- 

 tion to the purchase, and Merman did win the Cesarewitch 

 in 1897, the year of his arrival, besides many and greater 

 races afterwards. 



That time I felt I had touched the zenith of possibilities, 

 and could not hope to ever repeat such a success, though 

 there have been very many not far removed from it as 

 time has gone on. Among these I cannot refrain from 

 mentioning the purchase by me of Rosaline (by Trenton) 

 for 25 guineas, and she subsequently produced Rosedrop, 

 winner of the Oaks and dam of Gainsborough ; and Low- 

 land Aggie, for 35 guineas, who became the dam of 

 Lomond, the best colt of his year and now a very success- 

 ful sire. It is too near the finish, however, to amplify any 

 such details. 



What a number of admirable men I should like to write 

 about in connection with these later years ! Sir Tatton 

 Sykes, so shy and retiring, yet so utterly good at the bed- 

 rock of him ; Mr Leopold de Rothschild, who never once 

 refused a claim for assistance when properly recom- 

 mended. Then there was the inimitably jovial Mr Taylor 

 Sharpe, the life and soul of every company in which he 

 was. Mr W. Pallin, one of the most knowledgable men 

 in Ireland, and Mr J. C. Murphy of the long beard and 



