ioo MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



he has put up muscle since his last race to a surprising 

 degree, and it is perfectly certain that he has got bigger 

 and heavier with his work. It was impossible just then 

 to see how far he had developed over the loins, where 

 he was notably weak at Sandown and Goodwood, but 

 the Duke of Westminster said that his progress in that 

 respect has been very considerable, though he may not 

 yet be so good as he would have been but for his illness. 



"We tried to put him on the weighing-machine the 

 other day," said his Grace, "but when he felt it shaking 

 under him he wouldn't stand it." 



No one, however, can doubt that Orme is now a great 

 deal heavier horse than he was, and it must be remem- 

 bered that he was always a light-fleshed one, being more 

 of the wiry sort than was his sire, of whom he is a refined 

 edition. No horse could possibly look in better health 

 than Orme does, and he is also in excellent heart. But 

 enough of him at present ; let us look at Watercress. 



Now it would be idle to deny that Watercress has 

 come on wonderfully since Goodwood. Always a 

 muscular colt, he now shows his muscle in the cleanest 

 development of perfect training, and there is a regular 

 sheen of health on his dark brown coat. He has lost 

 much of that lumpish appearance which has hitherto 

 characterised him, and he has been sharpened up 

 of late in a manner which he had never previously 

 experienced. 



The Duke evidently does not view this colossal 

 antagonist as one to be treated lightly ; more than 

 once he spoke in terms of admiration of the big colt's 

 condition, and again, later, of the lightness and ex- 

 cellence of his action. 



Some distance behind these comes La Fleche, in 



