28 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



the first fence, so that he had to ride the whole of 

 the course with one iron. 



Among several good chasers I had at that time 

 were Khyber, Malaga, Edward, Commoner, 

 Bloodstone. The last probably would have 

 won a Manchester Cup with a light weight on. 

 Lord Cholmondeley asked me to train a horse named 

 Mervyn for him. He had a very suspicious leg, 

 and was handicapped with 6 st. 4 lb. in the Man- 

 chester Cup. I strongly advised Lord C. not to 

 try him, fearing that he would leave the race on 

 the Downs, but he said he would like to try him, 

 so that he could tell his friends to back him. I 

 said I was afraid the result would be as I had 

 anticipated. However, early one morning his 

 lordship arrived here to try him, having galloped 

 over from Wroughton (his hunting box). The 

 horses had just left the yard, and I said to Lord 

 Cholmondeley : 



" Can I offer you some breakfast ? " 



" Oh, I've had mine, Sam, thanks." 



My own tea and a poached egg were on the table 

 when I left the room. On my return I found they 

 had disappeared. Lord Cholmondeley 

 choimonde- had taken them, and I'm sure enjoyed 

 " poached " them as much as he did the joke. How- 

 egg ever, I went minus my breakfast, and we 

 rode to the Downs to see the gallop, which Mervyn 



