HENRY SAVILE 



and avoid bad company. Once on the downward 

 path, his descent was terribly rapid, and it was 

 pitiable, only a few years later, to see the once 

 brilliant horseman without character, money, or 

 friends, and reduced to the level of a mere New- 

 market loafer. The Eccentric Free Handicap was 

 only worth £50, and the field numbered but five 

 runners, yet Mr. Savile was able to win a stake of 

 £18,600 over Lilian, who started at 5 to 4 against 

 her. Verily they used to bet in those days ; fancy 

 the hopelessness of bringing off a similar coup at 

 the present time ! Lilian was a peculiar mare in 

 several respects. She was game enough, or she 

 could never have won the races she did, yet, after 

 the early part of her three-year-old career, she 

 invariably wore blinkers, as she would not run her 

 race out without them. After four years old it 

 was useless to try with her, for she would never 

 gallop a yard at home, where anything could beat her 

 over any course. Seven years of incessant racing 

 are a poor preparation for a successful career as a 

 brood mare, and it would have been surprising 

 indeed if Lilian had thrown anything of much 

 account. I saw her in the summer of 1894 at 

 Mr. W. Gardner's paddocks at Exning ; she was 

 looking very old and worn, and was, I believe, 

 destroyed shortly afterwards. 



In the year following Cremorne's Derby victory 

 Mr. Savile made a very respectable bid for some of 

 the chief honours of the Turf with Kaiser, a bay 

 colt by Skirmisher out of Regina, by King Tom. 

 He was a very unpromising yearling, with bad 

 curby hocks, and it was a mere toss-up whether he 

 was ever trained or not. Gilbert went to RufFord 

 Abbey to see him, and it was finally decided to 

 give him a chance ; but it was uphill work at first, 

 his hocks having to be constantly dressed and 



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