FRIAR'S BALSAM 121 



(Handicap) at Sandown Park Second Summer, and 

 the Autumn Cup at the succeeding meeting of the 

 same Club. The Shrew (2 years, by Springfield 

 out of Vex) was a busy winner that year. The 

 Maiden Plate at Ascot (' a favourite race of mine,' 

 is Porter's complacent comment), the Stockbridge 

 Foal Stakes, the Princess of Wales's Cup at the 

 Newmarket July, the Brighton Jubilee Cup, and 

 the Rangemore Stakes at Derby. Kingsclere won 

 that season 26,434/. 



The year 1888 proved very eventful, and was 

 not devoid of a Kingsclere 'sensation.' Some 

 time before the Two Thousand Friar's Balsam 

 became, from no apparent cause, exceedingly irri- 

 table, and difficult to clean and dress in the stable. 

 A bridle was therefore put on to dress him, the boy 

 holding the rein in his hand while he rubbed the 

 horse down. On one occasion, while this operation 

 was being performed, the youngster, instead of 

 throwing the rein upon the horse's neck when he 

 turned him over, allowed it to trail along the ground. 

 The horse trod upon it, plunged violently, and 

 splintered the bone of his under jaw. The injury 

 was caused by the bit's coming with the jerk right 

 on to the bone. An abscess formed, and the horse 

 began to waste. Thanks to the palliatives which 

 had been applied, Friar's Balsam was partially re- 

 stored on the day of the race (for which he started 

 at the odds of 3 to 1 on), but he was not free from 

 pain, and he was afraid to face his bridle. Many 

 theories, more or less wide of the truth, were ad- 



