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A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF. 



Sceptre had, of course, no difficulty in the Hardwicke Stakes, which was in the 

 nature of a training gallop in her careful preparation for the Eclipse Stakes later 

 on. Zinfandel, by Persimmon, gave a taste of real quality by making very light of 

 8st. 4lb. in the Gold Vase, which set people wondering what would have happened 

 in the Derby if Colonel McCalmont's death had not voided his nomination. At 

 Goodwood Rabelais won Mr. Arthur James his third Cup in successive years, from 

 a poor field, and one result of the Steward's Cup race was a sporting match for 

 .500 a side, later on, between Mr. Bottomley's Le Blizon and Mr. J. B. Joel's 

 Sundridge, who conceded 2st. all but 2lb. in the later event, and was beaten. 



But it was the " Ten Thousand Pounders " which provided the sensation of the 



season. Ard Patrick 

 (with Morny Cannon 

 up) proved himself 

 worthy to rank with 

 Isinglass, St. Friis- 

 quin, Flying Fox, and 

 Epsom Lad as a good 

 winner of the Princess 

 of Wales's Stakes (a 

 mile and a half), and 

 showed himself to be 

 in splendid condition, 

 though the opposition 

 was not very strong. 

 July 17, 1903, the day 



of the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, will always be remembered as one of the 

 most exciting in the history of the Turf. In a terribly wet year, it gave us rare 

 summer weather. Esher has certainly never been so crowded since Bendigds day, 

 when it rained hard ; and the King was in his private stand. Ard Patrick and 

 Sceptre, those old rivals, were to meet again, and her inexplicable defeat in her 

 second Lincoln Handicap was quite forgotten by her many friends. The two crack 

 four-year-olds were to oppose Rock Sand, the eventual winner of the Triple Crown 

 of 1903, who was made first favourite at n to 8, with Sceptre at 2 to i, and 

 Ard Patrick at 4 to i. Duke of Westminster and Oriole (by Ladas out of Orle) 

 also started. Maher had had so bad an accident on July 10, in a motor car, that 



"King's Courier"' (1897, U.S.A.} by " Kingston:' 1 



