256 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



until after the races. Never was more excitement mani- 

 fested over an objection, not even in the memorable- 

 Catch 'em Alive case. Sir Frederick Johnstone had 

 backed Per Se to win 15,000, whilst Lord Dupplin 

 had supported his own filly to win 16,000. As the 

 bookmakers took the odds freely that " the second gets 

 it," the backers were enabled to hedge their money to 

 great advantage, Sir Frederick Johnstone and Lord 

 Dupplin, it is said, being in a position to lay 4000 to- 

 1000 against Per Se. The judges occupied nearly 

 two hours in hearing the evidence of the jockeys. At 

 length Mr. Crawfurd emerged from the room, but 

 nothing could be gathered from his solemn face as to the 

 decision. Presently Sir John Astley appeared and 

 quickly said, " The winner gets it," and up went such 

 a shout as had never been heard in the streets of New- 

 market. The judges held the opinion that Per Se had 

 not been sufficiently interfered with to prevent her 

 winning the race. When Mr. Tattersall sold Plebeian 

 the previous year he prophesied that he was selling the 

 winner of the next Middle Park Plate, and so he was 

 attested a true seer. John Osborne, on Holy Friar, in 

 forcing the pace as he did, tried to cut down the field,, 

 as Newry did the previous year. If he hadn't done that,, 

 the probability is, according to Mr. John Corlett's 

 views, that he would have finished second and Galopin 

 first. Galopin's form in the Derby the following year 

 fully confirmed the estimate. 



The action of Mr. Henry Chaplin threatened the 

 continuation of the Middle Park Plate. Just prior 

 to this race of 1874 he moved and carried, in the Jockey 

 Club, a resolution that it was not desirable that the 

 largest sum given in added money by the Club should 

 be for a two-year-old race. The only way to get out 



