CONTENTS xi 



CHAPTER VII 



PAGB 



The greatest horse of the century — Ormonde stripped for the first and 

 only time in a trial — Kendal, Whipper In, and Whitefriar in • the 

 question'— Ormonde's races his trials— Minting and Ormonde meet 

 for the first time— John Porter and Matthew Dawson at New- 

 market — The confidence of Minting's trainer — Viney's insubordina- 

 tion at the post— Had ' to make running for Ormonde '— Ormonde's 

 wonderful performance in the Free Handicap— A more interesting 

 match than The Dutchman's with Voltigeur declared off— Ormonde's 

 winning balance— ' Useful' Candlemas compared with Ormonde — 

 The Prince of Wales joins the stable— John Porter and Matthew 

 Dawson at Ascot— Porter far from sanguine — Ormonde a roarer, and 

 yet a mightier victor than ever — Ormonde summoned to a Jubilee 

 Reception at Grosvenor House — The cabman's unbelief— Ormonde 

 goes to the stud— Departs for Argentina— His return, reception of 

 his old trainer, and final departure for America .... 99 



CHAPTER VIII 



A trial of Friar's Balsam— A great week for Kingsclere at Goodwood — 

 Why and how the Portsmouth barber followed the stable — The 

 accident to Friar's Balsam — What really occurred — Orbit— Ormuz, 

 the stable slave — Purchase of the son of Springfield and Sanda — He 

 (Sainfoin) sold to Sir James Miller with contingencies — Sainfoin's 

 Derby no fluke — Two unlucky horses — The Baron de Hirsch's horses 

 at Kingsclere — A neglected sire — ' Do we want stayers ? ' — The slow 

 coming of Common— He 'wanted time' — The trial for the Guineas 

 — The oracular opinion of Newmarket — Common's races - Views on 

 taking such slowly maturing horses out of the trainer's hands at the 

 end of their three-year-old career 117 



CHAPTER IX 



A splendid quartette— La Fleche— A record price for a yearling— The 

 Prince of Wales's excellent judgment — Undefeated at two years old 

 — Ought to have won the Derby — A question of jockeyship— The 

 mare's other races — Orme : a late blossom— Orme, La Fleche, and 

 Watercress ■ together ' — The poisoning of Orme — Discovery of the 

 symptoms — Veterinary and other opinions— The voluminous horse- 

 dentist— A vexed and heated controversy — Offer of a reward for the 

 apprehension of the poisoner — The Press, serious and humorous, on 

 Orme — The horse's restoration and splendid victories — Orme's place 

 in the St. Leger accounted for — The second Eclipse, ' the greatest 

 race of his life' — Matchbox not a tip-topper — The unfortunate 

 Bullingdon , , . . .134 



