FAMOUS RACING STUDS OF THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. 671 



Restitution in 1869. The fact that Baron Lionel kept his horses with his brother, 

 Baron Meyer, who was a tremendous power upon the British Turf, led to some slight 

 confusion now and then, and Baron Lionel raced under the assumed name of " Mr. 

 Acton." His best colt was Sir Bevys by Favonius out of Lady Langden, who won 

 the Derby of 1879. It was in some ways worthy of so notable a centenary, that this 

 year should have given George Fordham, one of the finest jockeys who ever rode in 

 it, his only Derby win ; though not until Palmbearer, who started at 100 to i, looked 

 like fighting for the first place with Visconti, who was afterwards sold for 70 guineas. 



In 1880 the famous "dark blue and yellow " passed worthily into the hands of 

 Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, who has stoutly upheld the honour and the popularity 

 of his house ever since a popularity which is firmly based on the fact that they have 

 invariably "run straight." The scene that followed the victory of Favonius was 

 quite as boisterously enthusiastic, in the opinion of those who saw all three, as that 

 which greeted the more modern victories of the Prince of Wales or Lord Rosebery ; 

 indeed, the delighted crowd seemed bent on carrying home portions of the anatomy 

 either of the Baron or of his thoroughbred as cheerful souvenirs of the great occasion. 

 It is a touch of that irony of fate which sometimes lights on even the most fortunate 

 that the only year in which the triumph of another horse was more eagerly looked for 

 than that of " Mr. Leopold's" nomination, was the year in which, with St. Frusquin, 

 he came nearest to winning the blue ribbon that has not yet rewarded his sportsman- 

 like persistence. That St. Frusquin was practically the same horse as Persimmon 

 is shown by the fact that he beat him, another Derby winner, and a Two 

 Thousand winner, when he wound up his career in the Princess of Wales 's Stakes, 

 and was in receipt of 3lb. from the Royal colt. Certainly no gamer horse than he 

 and I should like to add William the Third have been saddled of late years ; 

 and his breakdown before Persimmons St. Leger was perhaps compensated for his 

 owner by the victory of Doricles later on. In 1898 Mr. Leopold de Rothschild 

 headed the list of winning owners with ,30,267, and among his other successful 

 horses were Fosco, Goletta (Princess of Wales's Stakes), St. Gris, Jaquemart, 

 Tridtnt, Sacripant, and Pom Pom. In St. Amant he owned a two-year-old of the 

 greatest promise in 1903, with whom every one looked forward to seeing him at 

 last win the Derby. Few names are more respected in the racing world than that 

 of the Rothschilds. 



