* Sterlino's ' prooen^ 163 



papers at the time, nothing could have excelled 

 ' Sterling's ' brilliant gameness and determination. 

 It was a grand finish to a rather uncertain career. 

 I need not tell my readers that ' Sterling ' was a 

 great success at the stud ; and although I do not care 

 about answering the question often put to me about 

 which was the best horse I ever rode, I am not 

 certain, if I did so, that I should not name ' Sterling.' 

 It certainly would be either Mr. Gretton's horse or 

 ' Thormanby.' Mr. Gretton had a real good race, 

 and he gave me ^500 for winning. This was, of 

 course, a very nice present indeed for me to winter 

 upon. 



As many of my readers may know, ' Sterling ' 

 really belonged to Miss Graham, a sister of the 

 well-known Yardley breeders, and he was only leased 

 to Mr. Gretton. ' Sterling ' died on March 26, 

 1 89 1, having been for many years the bright par- 

 ticular star of the stud near Birmingham where he 

 was located. Of course, the best horse he ever got 

 was ' Isonomy,' who, in his turn, has been the sire 

 of a couple of " triple-crown " heroes in ' Common ' 

 and ' Isinglass.' Second in order of merit amongst 

 ' Sterling's ' sons I think I should place ' Paradox,' 

 who was very unlucky to be beaten at Epsom by 

 'Melton' in 1885. A half of that Greatest of all 



