40 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



take his horses from Telscombe in Sussex, where 

 they were then being trained by Tommy Lushing- 

 ton. Among the first lot that came to Beck- 

 hampton was Blairfinde, who won the Irish 

 Derby the following year (1894). In connection 

 with this it is interesting to note that I stayed with 

 Captain Greer, with whom Lord Enniskillen was also 

 staying, for the Curragh meeting. Captain Greer 

 lent his lordship and myself a couple of hacks to 

 go and see Blairfinde do his work the morning 

 of the Irish Derby. Lord Enniskillen had gone on 

 before, and when I met him on the Curragh train- 

 ing ground he said : 



" Sam, Fve just seen Linde (a trainer on the 



Curragh), who said, ' I've just seen Sam Darlmg's 



Biairflnde's ^^rse, and call him a d d ccach- 



" Derby," horse; and if he wins our Irish Derby 

 and Linde's 



dual I will eat him ! ' " 

 opin on J ^^^ ^^^ Linde was training a horse 



called Baldecoote, who started favourite for the 

 race. My own jockey, Tom Garrett, rode Blair- 

 finde, and to prevent any trouble with the other 

 jockeys I instructed Garrett, before he got to tlie 

 last turn, to rush his horse to the front and make 

 the best of his way home, which he did, winning bj 

 twenty lengths. Poor Linde afterwards standing 

 by the weighing room, and looking at Blairfinde, 

 put both hands in his pockets, and said ; 



