124 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



Fordham invariably adopted of riding his horses out to 

 the last ounce, even when only the faintest ray of hope 

 was left: 



" The Cup day was what the Cup day ought to be 

 everywhere, viz., a glorious one; and the living illustra- 

 tion of ' Le Follet ' defied all foreign competition. ' The 

 Cup, and nothing but the Cup/ was the order of the 

 day; and although The Wizard showed in magnificent 

 form, and had furnished and framed into one of the 

 finest Cup horses we have ever seen slipped for many a 

 year, still the ring and a large body of the public were 

 unmistakeably opposed to him for his defeat in the 

 Derby and St. Leger. His supporters, however, were 

 staunch, and consisted of the Whitewall division and the 

 few noblemen who think John Scott still capable of 

 training a horse. Starke looked in prime order, but the 

 French mare was a little scratchy thing, more adapted 

 for a consolation scramble in John Osborne's country 

 than a Goodwood Cup. France stuck to her nobly, and 

 so did the English ring in a different way. And when 

 Spreoty refused the offer of Adams, Bullock, and another 

 excellent jockey, who was placed at his disposal by Lord 

 Frederick, only one conclusion could be found, and as 

 she never went once into her horses there could be no 

 question of her having been in articulo mortis at the time. 

 Thormanby was very fresh, and carried, in addition 

 to Custance, the money of Mr. Merry, Mat Dawson, and 

 the public to make him first favourite. 



" The lot, when paraded, made a goodly show. 

 Wallace led the lot a nice dance as soon as they 

 started, and maintained his lead so long, although 

 he looked a bag of bones, that the Cesarewitch 

 handicapper cannot forget him next month, and 

 when he finished, which was not until thev had 



