60 KINGSCLERE 



many experienced spectators of the race thought 

 that Pero Gomez had won. The horse was care- 

 lessly ridden when he ought to have been got 

 through, and was seriously interfered with by a 

 horse of Teddy Brayley's (Duke of Beaufort) in 

 coming round Tattenham Corner. In a word, it is 

 John Porter's abiding persuasion that if Wells had 

 ridden with greater confidence and resolution, the 

 verdict of the judge would have been reversed. 



Although, for reasons which have been assigned, 

 the stable were more than dubious with regard to 

 the Derby, Morna had beaten Pero Gomez so far 

 in a canter in the trial, they felt certain that she 

 would secure the Oaks. Again was disappointment 

 their doom. A tremendous thunderstorm broke 

 over the course while the mares were at the post, 

 and as the thoroughbred is quite as nervous under 

 such a visitation as man, and is necessarily more at 

 its mercy, Porter attributes the defeat of a highly 

 organised and frightened animal to the storm. Pero 

 Gomez (to dismiss him for the present) afterwards 

 won the Doncaster St. Leger ' cleverly ' — with, 

 however, plenty in hand — while Pretender ran un- 

 placed, and he also carried off the Doncaster Stakes, 

 Pretender second, half a length, and the third, 

 Typhon, three lengths behind the Derby winner. 



In talking over the events of that wonderful 

 Kingsclere year, Porter is roused to a pitch of 

 enthusiasm when he recalls the achievements of 

 Blue Gown and Rosicrucian. 'Why, I could not 

 tell you how good Blue Gown was ! At Goodwood, 



