HERMIT AND ISINGLASS 



be so utterly hopeless that the Duke might never 

 have considered it worth while to cover any of his 

 money. 



A 200 sov. Sweepstakes at the Newmarket First 

 Spring was selected for Hermit's debut, and it was 

 a little singular that he should have renewed his 

 acquaintance with Marksman in this race. The 

 betting was very close between the pair, Mr. 

 Chaplin's colt having a slight call, but, though 

 he beat INIarksman, both of them succumbed to 

 Cellina, a very speedy Newminster filly belonging 

 to Lord Stamford, who possessed the advantage 

 of having run a couple of previous races, and 

 therefore thoroughly understood her business. I 

 often fancy that the value of this experience is not 

 rated sufficiently highly, and it is noteworthy that, 

 when the pair met three weeks later in a Biennial 

 at Bath, Hermit beat Cellina by a neck, instead of 

 being defeated by three-parts of a length. The 

 Woodcote Stakes at Epsom saw Hermit again 

 relegated to second place, but upon this occasion 

 he was meeting Achievement, who invariably 

 proved a little too good for him ; and he was 

 not beaten again as a two-year-old. At Ascot 

 he travelled too fast for Dragon, of whom the 

 rumour ran that he was a " second Gladiateur," 

 and fourteen others finished a respectful distance 

 behind the pair. His best juvenile performances 

 were, however, accomplished at Stockbridge. On 

 the Wednesday he secured a Biennial, defeating 

 Vauban, A^iridis, and thirteen more. Upon this 

 occasion A^auban ran him to a neck, but when 

 they met in the Troy Stakes two days later, the 

 Duke of Beaufort's colt could not get anywhere 

 near him, and Lady Hester, Julius, and seven 

 others were also disposed of with the greatest 

 ease. There was a delicacy of constitution about 



236 



