574 A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF. 



beaten, in one of the hottest fields that ever started for the Derby, by Blair 

 Athol, whom Matthew and Thomas both thought "a grand racehorse." Matthew's 

 beginnings at Newmarket, after he left Russley for Heath House, have been already 

 sketched. Lord Falmouth's Kingcraft, by King Tom, began a list of famous 

 winners in which occur such names as Atlantic, Charibert, Galliard, Cecilia, 

 Spinaway, Wheel of Fortune, Silvio, Jannette, Dutch Oven, and Busybody, a perfect 

 string of classic winners. Fred Archer helped as much as any other single cause 

 in such successes as were these. But neither his riding nor Mat Dawson's training 

 could have effected what they did unless they had got good material to work upon. 

 The Duke of Portland, to whom my third volume has been dedicated, contributed 

 some more of this material, and it was Mowerina, again one of Matthew's purchases, 

 which largely assisted in so desirable a result. She was the dam of Donovan, 

 Raeburn, Semolina, and Modwena. In purchasing the son of Galopin and St. Angela 

 for i, 600 guineas at the sale of Prince Batthyany's stud, Matthew Dawson not only 

 again did well for the Duke, but probably secured the best bargain ever made 

 in thoroughbred stock. I have already spoken of St. Simons value as a sire ; 

 and though he has not yet beaten Stockwelfs record in the days before big prizes, 

 of ,61,391 for his progeny in a single season, he has probably done more for 

 modern racing than any single living sire that could be named. If we acid the 

 influence of Donovan, of Ayrshire, and of the same owner's Carbine, who brought 

 back Muskefs staying blood to England, it will be difficult to find any other single 

 stud of equal value to the modern Turf. I shall have to speak of Paradox again 

 when I come to John Porter's doings in a later chapter ; but it was Dawson who 

 trained Melton, winner of the Derby and St. Leger of 1885. Paradox was, no 

 doubt, the better horse, and was beaten only by Archer's rush at the finish, which 

 was made owing to that astute jockey's knowledge of the fact that Paradox would 

 never do his best in the lead. Mr. Richard Vyner was another of Matthew's lucky 

 owners, whose Lambkin had already won the Leger, when Minting (by Lord Lyoii) 

 turned up for the Two Thousand. Than 1886 there was no better year for three- 

 year-olds since 1864, and Ormonde was the best of them. Mr. Vyner very wisely 

 went for the Grand Prix, which he won. Even when the Duke of Westminster's 

 great colt had turned roarer he beat Minting for the Hardwicke Stakes. But 

 Matthew had the satisfaction of seeing the son of Mint Sauce win the Jubilee Cup 

 at Ascot, and the Jubilee Handicap at Kempton Park, the latter under lost, 

 after having had a swelled hock a week before. After retiring to a little farm 



