CHAPTER V 



CHILDWICK AND COMMON 



First Impression of Childwick His Sale as a Yearling "Pavo" and 

 Chattanooga Common at Kingsclere His Leger Victory 

 Robert Peck's Opinion Mr (Sir) Blundell Maple's Greatest 

 Triumph Lord Marcus "never got a bid " 



EQUINE celebrities of thirty years ago are to some 

 extent more interesting than those of more 

 recent date, and as I can quote what I myself 

 wrote of some of them at the time, I have thought it 

 well to do so, with what I hope is discreet moderation. 

 For instance, on 2nd September 1891 appeared my 

 first description (for The Sportsman) of the Sledmere 

 yearlings. Here is an extract : 



" I had the advantage of seeing Sir Tatton's yearlings 

 out of their boxes as well as in, and after a careful in- 

 spection I do not hesitate to say that if Mr Snarry 

 has the best filly, Sir Tatton Sykes has the best colt 

 I have seen this year. I allude to the son of St Simon 

 and Plaisanterie. It might be thought that Plaisanterie, 

 who is a chestnut mare of no great size, though she is 

 a wide one, would not be able to boast of such a big, 

 strapping son thus early in her stud career. The 

 yearling, however, is all that could possibly be wished 

 in point of size, combined with length and quality, and 

 the greatest liberty and freedom of action. He is a 

 hard, honest brown, with shoulders and forehand of 

 generally ideal character, while, if he is a little short 



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