104 KINGSCLERE 



that there was not a fertile field left for speculation. 

 The manner in which Ormonde had won his races 

 counted on the one hand ; the fact that the rival he 

 had yet to meet had carried off the ' classic ' two- 

 year-old prizes demanded more than respectful 

 attention on the other. Ormonde went on at 

 Kingsclere as heretofore, never giving his trainer 

 cause for a moment's anxiety, and with the dis- 

 appearance of winter the approaching race for the 

 Two Thousand Guineas excited increasing interest 

 in the sporting world. In that race Ormonde and 

 Minting had to meet for the first time. 



With the Two Thousand Guineas impending, 

 Porter, in accordance with his regular custom, went 

 to Newmarket the Saturday before the race. At 

 exercise next morning he came across Matthew 

 Dawson, who, in the course of their friendly conver- 

 sation, gave unstinted expression to the confidence 

 which he felt in Minting. He said he thought the 

 son of Lord Lyon was a horse distinctly beyond the 

 average. It was only natural that Minting's trainer 

 should extol his charge, and, considering the distin- 

 guished horses which Matthew Dawson had had 

 through his hands and his extensive professional 

 knowledge and experience, his opinion was entitled 

 to the highest respect. As to Ormonde there was 

 a circumstance which was not referred to, and that 

 was his not having been tried. He was never tried 

 as a three-year-old at all. They knew at home 

 that he was all right — 'was galloping like a lion 

 over everything' — and that was sufficient. The 



