REGALIA 



The patient policy tliat was pursued with her was 

 duly rewarded, as she went to the starting-post 

 eight -and -thirty times in the course of the next 

 three seasons, and seemed able to stand any 

 amount of work. There never was a more reliable 

 mare at home, where she would invariably stride 

 away from anything that was tried with her, no 

 matter what the distance might be. On a race- 

 course, however, she was by no means trustworthy, 

 and it was quite a toss-up whether she would try 

 or not. On the days that she really meant going 

 she was most restive at the starting-post, and 

 seemed to require the whole of the course to 

 herself. She would run back, gnash her teeth, 

 kick at the other horses, and make herself generally 

 as unpleasant as possible, and then Tom Heartfield, 

 who rode her in nearly all her engagements in her 

 last season, knew that business only was meant, 

 and that she was sure to make a big bid for victory. 

 When in this vixenish mood no course was too 

 long for her, but a mile was about her best 

 distance. In spite of all the airs and graces that 

 she would give herself upon these occasions, she 

 was a singularly nervous mare, and, if her jockey 

 took hold of her head and rated her, she would 

 drop into her place in line as quietly as an old 

 sheep, but such a proceeding was utterly fatal to 

 all chance of success, as she almost invariably 

 turned as sulky as possible, and would not gallop 

 a yard. 



Regalia began a busy three-year-old season in 

 the Two Thousand Guineas, in which she had no 

 market price, and performed quite in accordance 

 with her position in the betting. It was not 

 surprising, therefore, that 20 to 1 was easily 

 obtainable about her at the start for the Oaks, 

 and her six lengths victory came as a big surprise. 



15 



