HERMIT AND ISINGLASS 



sealed " the faith that was in him " by the accept- 

 ance of 1000 to 15 three times. In those days 

 we used to look to the paddock ticket for a tip, 

 as it invariably bore the colours of the owner of 

 one of the horses engaged in the Derby. This 

 year it was " rose," and a wonderful hit was made, 

 though I suspect that the tickets were ordered 

 and printed off before Hermit broke a blood- 

 vessel. It is a curious fact in connection with 

 this memorable race that those who should know 

 most about the second and third consider that 

 each of them ought to have won. Captain 

 Machell thinks Hermit to have been decidedly 

 the best of the thirty runners, and it must be 

 conceded that he has good ground for his belief. 

 James Waugh maintains that Grimshaw threw 

 away the race on Marksman, and Joseph Enoch will 

 always believe that Fordham rode one of his very 

 few bad races on Vauban, and ought to have won 

 easily. Each of them advances sound arguments 

 in favour of his view, arguments which will be 

 found set forth in other chapters, and where 

 "doctors differ" — and doctors of such vast 

 experience — it would ill become me to express 

 an opinion, so I must leave my readers to form 

 their own judgment in the matter. 



Although Hermit scored twice at Ascot, beat- 

 ing Julius, The Palmer, and others with plenty in 

 hand, there is no doubt that he was never really 

 himself after the Derby. Indeed, although he 

 started first favourite for the St. Leger at 5 to 

 4, he was by no means up to the mark at 

 Doncaster, and before going there had been well 

 beaten by his stable companion, Blinkhoolie, who 

 was certainly a good 10 lb. in front of him at 

 that time. Captain Machell saw that another 

 great coup might be brought off by running the 



244 



