JAMES MERRY 



5 to 4 were laid on Bismarck, whilst 5 to 1 was 

 obtainable about Marksman. The tables, however, 

 were completely turned, for the latter won in a 

 canter by a length, and, as Fordham dismounted 

 after the race he patted the colt's neck, saying to 

 Waugh, " There, Jim, that'll give him confidence." 

 It did so undoubtedly, for the youngster won a 

 couple more races before the end of the season, 

 though it was naturally beyond even Fordham's 

 powers of blandishment to persuade him to travel 

 fast enough to beat such a wonder as Achievement 

 in the Champagne Stakes. 



Marksman *' had a leg " when he ran for the 

 Derby, but, in spite of that, Waugh maintains that 

 he must have won if Jemmy Grimshaw had not 

 been so intent on watching Vauban that he did 

 not realise the danger from Daley and the despised 

 Hermit until it was too late to avert a neck defeat. 

 " How do you account for that, Waugh ? " were 

 Mr. Merry's first words to his trainer after the race, 

 to which the latter could only reply, " I don't 

 know, sir ; you'd better ask Grimshaw." I doubt 

 if the owner felt the disappointment nearly as 

 keenly as did the trainer, and the former speedily 

 consoled himself with the reflection, " Never mind, 

 we've beaten The Duke," for it was a singular thing 

 that nothing ever gave Mr. Merry so much plea- 

 sure as seeing one of his horses defeat something 

 carrying the colours of Lord Stamford or the 

 Duke of Beaufort. AVaugh was very anxious to 

 run JNIarksman in the Grand Prix de Paris, point- 

 ing out that the travelling would keep him light 

 with little or no work, whereas the cantering 

 necessary to keep him fit for Ascot would be 

 bound to affect his " dicky " leg. Had this course 

 been followed, the colt would have been almost 

 certain to have annexed the great French race, for 



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