84 KINGSCLERE 



There were some good ones at Kingsclere in 

 the succeeding year (1883). They included the 

 two-year-olds Sandiway, Duke of Richmond, and 

 Reprieve (the last-named the property of Lord 

 Grosvenor, who had purchased her of Matthew 

 Dawson). St. Blaise, who naturally absorbed a 

 good deal of the trainer's attention, had wintered 

 into a big gross horse, who, it was feared, could 

 not be got sufficiently fit for the Two Thousand. 

 To add to Porter's difficulty, for the greater part 

 of the time available the training ground was wet 

 and heavy. Nevertheless, as far as the limits of 

 prudence permitted, the colt was sent along in his 

 work, and on April 1 2 he was tried over the appointed 

 course, with the following result : 



ONE MILE 



Whipper In, 4 yrs., 7 st. 13 lb. . . .1 



St. Blaise, 3 yrs., 8 st. 13 lb 2 



Incendiary, 6 yrs., 8 st 13 lb. . . .3 



Won by a length and a half ; six lengths between second 



and third. 



This trial, which, if it testified to nothing else, 

 proved how backward the horse was yet in condition, 

 was naturally thought 'not good enough.' It is, 

 however, a record, and in relation to subsequent 

 proceedings can scarcely be regarded as uninstructive. 

 However, as to trials, there was another, which took 

 place on April 29, which is eminently deserving of 

 an independent place in the present chronicle, mas- 



