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A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF. 



usual symptoms of salivation, the unlucky animal's hair came off in patches in about 

 a fortnight, and for some ten days his life was in danger. But he was never left 

 alone a moment, and his fine constitution, aided by unremitting care, pulled him 

 through at last. The inevitable inquiry was placed in the capable hands of Sir 

 George Lewis, and ,1,000 reward was offered for the apprehension of the guilty 

 person. No evidence has ever been forthcoming sufficient to convict any one. But 

 by July, 1892, the horse himself put all doubts to rest as to his recovery by winning 

 the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown against Orvieto, St. Damien, Certosa, Gouverneur, 

 Llanthony, and Rouge Dragon. With odds of 5 to 4 betted on him, and ridden 

 by George Barrett, he won by a neck, and loudly did the huge crowd cheer 



him ; indeed, the world- 

 wide interest in his reap- 

 pearance overshadowed 

 almost every other con- 

 test of the year until La 

 Fleche and others beat 

 him in the St. Leger 

 after he had been ridden 

 to a standstill. But the 

 greatest race of his life 

 was yet to come, when 

 he met her again in his 

 second entry for the 

 Eclipse next season. 

 This time Mornington 

 Cannon rode him (lost. 2lb.), while George Barrett was on the mare (gst. i3lb.). 

 He won by half a length, the mare being third ; and he beat La Fleche again 

 (giving her /lb.) in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. In spite of his illness, he 

 retired from the Turf with a winning list of ,32,726. 



The St. Leger of 1894 was as great a surprise as that of Dutch Oven or Caller Ou. 

 Throstle (by Petrarch out of Thistle) started at 50 to i in a field of eight, and Lord 

 Alington and Sir Frederick Johnstone took forty ponies between them in order that 

 she might not run unbacked. She beat Ladas by three-quarters of a length, and 

 Matchbox was third. In 1895 Kingsclere had rather too many seconds for Porter's 

 liking; but the season of 1899 more than made up for it. That was Flying Fox s 



By permission of" Cvitniry Life." 



" Throstle." 



