FAMOUS RACING STUDS OF THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. 



621 



was bred and owned by Mr. Jones, of Littleport, by Blair Athol out of Eastern 

 Princess, and had the action of a blood pony even when he had grown to his full 

 height of seventeen hands. He was never tried till April, 1871, as a two-year-old, 

 when his speed fairly amazed Joseph Dawson ; but could only be given a fortnight's 

 work for the Middle Park Plate. The first signs of roaring were shown in the 

 January of his three-year-old season, but he won his Two Thousand against 

 Crcmorne, though not with the same ease as the Criterion. Epsom was about the 

 worst course that could well be imagined for "the Prince of the T.Y.C.," and 

 the only time he won a race of more 

 than a mile in his whole career was 

 in the Drawing Room Stakes at 

 Goodwood, over the Craven Course 

 of a mile and a quarter. His four- 

 year-old season, in 1873, was an 

 undefeated record of ten races. M. 

 Lefevre constantly tackled him with 

 Blenheim, when he was five, and 

 beat him (though it is true there 

 was 7lb. difference) in the Queen's 

 Stand Plate at Ascot, the only defeat 

 Prince Charlie ever sustained after 

 his second in the St. Leger. He 

 had a triumphant reception in the 

 town after his last race on the Heath, 

 his famous match with Peut-etre over 

 the Rowley Mile. The best of his 

 get are Salvator and Lochiel, now in 

 America and Australia ; and it is perhaps just as well there is so little of his 

 blood in England, for it is more likely to transmit his roaring than his speed. 

 True it is that Ormonde was a pronounced roarer when he beat Minting and 

 Bendigo for the Hardwicke Stakes ; true, too, that an Orme has bred a Flying 

 Fox, clear-winded both of them. But these are the exceptions. The Duke of 

 Westminster was right to sell his favourite. 



Ormonde s name takes me at once to Kingsclere and John Porter, who was first 

 introduced to the mysteries of a training stable by Walters, the trainer of Alderman 



VOL. III. Z 



From a pencil drawing fry 

 fane E. Cook. 



Henry distance. 



