GEORGE BARRETT'S OPINION 105 



and charming filly she is, too, looking as if she thoroughly 

 understood everything that is going on. As she glances 

 for a moment at some object in the corner of the box 

 44 That's just how she holds her head when she's winning 

 a race," says her trainer admiringly. " Yes, that's how 

 she'll hold it next Wednesday," adds Lord Marcus. 



One last word about the Leger candidates. " We 

 know no more than you do which is the best," said 

 John Porter. 



"Well, I think I do know which is the best, 

 Mr Porter." 



" I am sure / don't." 



And so it rests, but if Orme does not win the St Leger, 

 all the same, I shall be greatly surprised. It remains 

 only to thank all concerned, and especially the Duke 

 of Westminster, for the opportunity I have now had of 

 forming my opinion. 



Of course we all know now that Orme did not win the 

 St Leger and La Fleche did, with Watercress third ; 

 but Orme was ridden in a manner which rendered his 

 victory impossible, and John Porter says as much in 

 Kingsdere. There is no need to go into that, for he 

 proved to demonstration twice the following year that 

 he was better than La Fleche, and the Duke of West- 

 minster himself wrote me after the Leger that the colt 

 had gone so well in all his long-distance gallops that 

 there was no possible doubt about his stamina. 



" He made Watercress fairly faint out of it in their 

 last strong mile and three-quarters' gallop ! " said George 

 Barrett, Orme's jockey, to me on the Tuesday morning 

 at Doncaster. 



