IV 



INIR. JAJNIES JMERRY {Concluded) 



As I have stated in the preceding chapter, relations, 

 had been very strained between JNIr. INIerry and 

 James Waugh ever since the defeat of St. INIungo 

 for the Chester Cup, and matters were not improved 

 by the owner's remarks with regard to Sunshine 

 and the classic races. It had been evident for some 

 time past that a separation was imminent, and the 

 horses were handed over to Robert Peck shortly 

 before the Christmas of 1870. The young trainer 

 began his new duties amidst most unpleasant sur- 

 roundings, for the winter was an unusually severe 

 one, and Russley, where scarcely a road then existed, 

 was a desolate spot indeed in its mantle of snow. 

 His chief attention was naturally bestowed upon 

 King of the Forest, who then occupied the position 

 of first favourite for the Two Thousand and Derby. 

 The colt looked very well in himself, but he had 

 a bad cold, accompanied by a slight discharge of 

 greenish matter from the nostrils. He used to kick 

 tremendously in his box, to such an extent indeed 

 that it was necessary to keep him tied up. He never 

 went out for three weeks, the most important 

 matter being to get rid of his cold, and when this 

 disappeared he could do little more than walking 

 exercise, as the weather continued to be terribly 



47 



