CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



John Porters boyhood— Rugeley and ' Hedgeford '— ' All for horses ' — 

 Alderman Copeland and Walters, his trainer— Tom Ashmall, a school- 

 fellow — Marlow and Whitehouse — Palmer, the Porters' family doctor 

 — Letter and anticipatory anecdote of the notorious poisoner— Palmer's 

 trainer— Porter engaged as light-weight by « Honest John Day ' at 

 Michel Grove— Horses : Rataplan, Nabob, and the flying Virago, 

 Porter's special charge— Anecdotes of Virago— A perilous journey and 

 an appalling dream — Virago's magnificent double victory at Epsom — 

 Turning-point in a potential jockey's career — Removal to Findon — 

 William Goater and Mr. Padwick— Story of Merry Hart— With The 

 Ranger to Paris— Lord Strathmore's opinion — Fordham's delight- 

 Gardening— Farewell to Findon— A delightful memory 



CHAPTER II 



Death of Manning— Porter's introduction to Sir Joseph Hawley by the 

 Earl of Westmorland— ' Why, you are only a boy ! '—The 'boy's' 

 journey with the Baronet to Cannon Heath— Joint inspection of the 

 stables, and engagement of Porter as trainer— Remarks on the lucky 

 Baronet's previous Turf career — His extremely limited stud— St. 

 Alexis : a case of restoration — Bedminster — A rosy trial — Another not 

 quite so rosy — ' Well, Annesley, what do you think of the scenery 

 now ? ' — Serious illness of Porter at Doncaster — The Baronet's charac- 

 teristic kindness— Letters — The strange story of Satyr — < Vou are a 

 nice horse to put I on!' — No hedging possible, but the cripple 



PAGB 



won 



CHAPTER III 



Sir Frederick Johnstone's first association with the stable— The game 

 and unchangeable Xi— The two-year-olds, Rosicrucian, Blue Gown, 

 and Green Sleeve— A big wager — A trial, and a race — Huxtable's 

 unspeakable surprise— The prologue (at a former Ascot) of the Blue 

 Gown drama at Doncaster— The weighing-out trick: 'touch-and- 



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