SCEPTRE 127 



Thus spoke Mr Sievier to Randall, who had come 

 on from Bath on Wednesday evening to ride Sceptre 

 in her Thursday morning gallop. The jockey, who 

 had taken no harm from his fall in the last race that 

 day, looked somewhat incredulous, as who should say : 

 " How can she possibly be 10 Ib. better than she was 

 when she scored those two great victories ? " But Mr 

 Sievier stuck resolutely to his point. " She is stronger 

 and heartier than she was then," he added, "and you'll 

 find it so when you've been on her back." 



Discussion followed as to the manner of her New- 

 market victories, and it seems that she was ridden 

 strictly to orders on each occasion, those orders being, 

 in the main, to balance her at the start, whether she 

 got off well or badly, and then let her run her own 

 race. Mr Sievier has absolute confidence in Sceptre. 

 " She will tell us after the Derby whether she is to 

 run for the Oaks or not," said he, "but if she does 

 not run, take my tip and back St Windeline." 



Now before any of this conversation took place I 

 had been round to afternoon stables, and seen and 

 put my hand on the filly. She was looking simply 

 first-class, bright and clean, with the skin rippling 

 sweetly over well brought-up muscles, and she in 

 herself happy, amiable, contented, and now eating up 

 freely, without needing all the little tricks to tempt her 

 appetite which had to be practised between Lincoln and 

 the Two Thousand Guineas. She is indeed a beautiful 

 mare, and she grows on you every time you see her. 

 Lord Coventry says he has seen nothing like her since 

 La Fleche, but, to my mind, she is superior to that 

 celebrity, having more length and scope, while she 

 stands quite as high, being, as a matter of fact, exactly 



