THE DUKE OF PORTLAND 



more substance than any St. Simon filly I ever saw, except 

 Roquebrune, and, were there a yearling book open on the 

 Oaks of 1897, it would be real good business to back her, 

 Frivoles, by the same sire from Gay Duchess, is more of a 

 typical St. Simon, a trifle on the small side, but very smart 

 and quick-looking, just the one to carry off a lot of early 

 two-year-old races. There are a couple of beautiful 

 Donovan fillies ; indeed. Don't, who being from Tact is a 

 half sister to Amiable, runs Smean very close, whilst Berrie- 

 dale, from Caithness, is not far behind her. About the 

 most promising of the six colts is the chesnut No Thank 

 You, a well-named son of Satiety and Semolina ; he is a 

 great powerful youngster that will probably require plenty 

 of time to come to his best, but seems very likely to develop 

 into a first-class performer. A good deal of interest naturally 

 centred in Lerderderg, a chesnut son of Carbine, who 

 accompanied his sire from Australia. He is the image of 

 the old horse, and has inherited his beautiful temper, being 

 as quiet as a sheep. Being bred to Australian time will 

 naturally militate against his racing career in this country, 

 for he was only nine weeks old when he became a yearling 

 according to our reckoning. Fortunately, however, he is 

 just the sort of colt that ought to pay for keeping, and it is 

 the Duke's present intention not to start him until the 

 Ascot Meeting of 1897, when the maiden allowance he will 

 receive in the Alexandra Plate will put him about on equal 

 terms with the others. 



In 1867, when I saw little Lecturer, with George Ford- 

 ham up, win the Ascot Cup, and recover for the Marquis of 

 Hastings a good half of his losses on Hermit's Derby, three 

 Oaks winners — Regalia, Hippia, and Tormentor — finished 

 behind him. Such a sight was unique, and may never be 

 witnessed again, nor do I ever again expect to see four Oaks 

 winners in one stud, as is the case at Welbeck at present. 

 Three of these — Memoir, Mrs. Butterwick, and Amiable — 

 are home-bred, and are all three by St. Simon, and the 

 fourth is Wheel of Fortune, the good little " Wheel " that 

 never failed to turn in backers' favour until that fatal 

 afternoon at York, when Ruperra, to whom she could have 

 given a stone but for breaking down in the race, beat her, 

 and one of the greatest certainties ever known for the St. 

 Leger was unable to go to the post. Like Lady Elizabeth, 

 Formosa, Marie Stuart, Fraulein, Jannette, and many 



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