Ill 



MR. JAMES MERRY 



It is probable that 1865 was about the worst 

 year that Mr. Merry experienced during his con- 

 nection with the turf. His Derby representative 

 was Wild Charley, a rather small cobby colt by 

 Wild Dayrell out of Phemy, who never ran as a 

 two-year-old, but won the Trial Stakes at North- 

 ampton on the occasion of his first appearance in 

 public, beating Ackworth and Birch Broom at 

 weight for age. As this was then estimated at 

 23 lb. over a mile in April, instead of at 18 lb., 

 the present allowance, the performance was not a 

 great one, still he started at 100 to 7 in the Derby, 

 in which he made no show, and never ran again. 

 The Primate, a beautifully-bred colt by St. Albans 

 out of Ellen Middleton, was probably the best ot 

 his two-year-olds in that season, but he never 

 accomplished what might reasonably have been 

 expected from such a pedigree, his performances 

 being very moderate. However, Mr. Merry made 

 one fortunate hit that year, and that was when he 

 purchased Marksman as a yearling at the annual 

 Middle Park sale. It was a very curious coinci- 

 dence that this chesnut, son of Dundee and Shot, 

 should have immediately followed Hermit into 

 the sale ring, and that the price realised by each 



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