DANEBURY DAYS 



tance. Yet 40 to 1 was an offer against him for 

 the Epsom race when it was manifest that he 

 possessed a 4 to 1 chance, and, though 8 to 1 was 

 accepted about him within a day or two of the 

 race, the pen was put through his name ahnost 

 at the last moment. The fact was that, in the 

 preceding season, when the Derby was naturally 

 believed to be at the mercy of Lady Elizabeth, 

 so much money was laid against The Earl that any 

 attempt to get it back would have been hopeless, 

 and it was absolutely impossible to start him with 

 winning orders. Accordingly he was reserved for 

 the Grand Prix de Paris, prior to which he was 

 tried over a mile and a half, with the same 

 tackle with which he had been tested for the 

 Newmarket Biennial, and won in a common 

 canter. There were only seven runners for the 

 great French race that year, and, with the excep- 

 tion of Suzerain, they were a very common lot, 

 so that The Earl had little trouble in disposing 

 of them, and was at once hurried back for his 

 Ascot engagements. On the Wednesday he 

 secured the Ascot Derby Stakes over the Swinley 

 course, and, about two hours afterwards, landed 

 a Biennial run over the Old JNIile. Then, on the 

 following day, he gave 7 lb. to Restitution, and 

 beat him a neck for the St. James's Palace Stakes, 

 also run over the Old Mile. Four races in five 

 days, with a journey from France thrown in, con- 

 stituted about the heaviest piece of work that 

 I can call to mind, and it is not surprising that 

 the colt looked a deplorable object when he got 

 back to Danebury. His legs had filled all round, 

 and he was as light as a crow, indeed his appear- 

 ance was so pitiable that Enoch, with whom he 

 was a prime favourite, felt almost inclined to cry 

 when he first saw him. However, careful nursing 



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