276 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



Bendigo was one of these, for, within reasonable 

 limits, weight had no effect on him, and in handicaps 

 he was almost invincible, but he was no sort of use to 

 Ormonde and Minting at weight-for-age. It is alleged 

 that he was not well when he met those celebrities at 

 Ascot, but such excuses must always be taken cum 

 grano, etc. Bendigo was, beyond question, a good horse, 

 but his reputation was gained by his ability to carry big 

 weights. 



As a class horse who was also a weight-carrier 

 Minting stands out, for he won the Jubilee Handicap 

 at Kempton, running away with 10 st. in the saddle, 

 and as Mat. Dawson went with him to the paddock gate, 

 after weighing in, I said to him : " He'd have won with 

 another stone, Mr Dawson." " He would indeed!" was 

 the answer, and no one who saw that race could doubt 

 it. 



Minting was a horse well up to 16 st. to hounds, and 

 weight was of no use whatever in measuring him with 

 horses of less weight-carrying physique. 



Yet in the matter of class he was himself outclassed 

 by Ormonde, who was, perhaps, an equally good weight- 

 carrier, though he was never tested as Minting was at 

 Kempton. 



The clearest proofs of what I mean are furnished by 

 The White Knight and Willonyx, neither of whom was 

 a really first-class horse, though their performances 

 under heavy weights induced people to think them so. 

 The White Knight came near to winning the Cesare- 

 witch with 9 st. 12 lb., and Willonyx did actually win 

 it with 9 st. 5 lb. in the saddle. These were great 

 performances, but neither horse was anything like the 

 best of his year. The White Knight never saw the way 



