The overthrow of so tremendous a favourite as 

 Friar's Balsam created a profound impression, and the 

 amount of money lost over him would have built a 

 war-ship. Though a horse of small stature, he was a 

 splendid specimen of the thoroughbred. He left off in 

 his two-year-old season with an exceptionally brilliant 

 reputation of being the best of his year ; and as it was 

 taken for granted that he had wintered well, the 

 assumption was that there was nothing in the Two 

 Thousand to extend him. Reports from Kingsclere 

 from time to time had been most favourable, and not 

 only did John Porter consider him one of the best 

 horses he ever had in his stable, but a short time prior 



