HERMIT AND ISINGLASS 



years. In many instances — and that of Flying 

 Fox may be quoted as a notable one — a horse's 

 real ability can be more correctly gauged by his 

 private trials than by his public performances, 

 but this was not the case with Isinglass. In fact 

 he was so intensely lazy that it was quite useless 

 to try him, for the truth of a home gallop could 

 never be relied upon. Thus it happened that, 

 after his first season, he was never " asked a 

 question " at home, and all that was known of 

 him as a two-year-old was that he was a liberal 

 14 lb. in front of Buckingham. It was very satis- 

 factory, however, to be able to ascertain this much, 

 for the own brother to Disraeli was remarkably 

 smart as a juvenile, and secured four nice races 

 off the reel, including a Biennial at Ascot and 

 the Lavant Stakes at Goodwood. 



If, however, there is little history attaching 

 to Isinglass, beyond that which appears in the 

 records of IMessrs. Weatherby, the story of his 

 dam is a very remarkable one. She originally 

 belonged to Lord Alington, and, on one occasion 

 that Captain INIachell was paying a visit to 

 Crichell, he purchased her at the very modest 

 price of £19. She was put to Trappist the follow- 

 ing season, and produced Gervas. Before the 

 value of the last-named was discovered. Captain 

 Machell had disposed of Deadlock, together with 

 several other brood mares, and for some time all 

 efforts to discover her whereabouts and buy her 

 back again proved futile. One morning, however, 

 it happened that Captain Machell was at the 

 Sefton Stud, discussing with the late Duchess of 

 Montrose some questions as to the mating of 

 Isonomy, and finding that Wenlock mares suited 

 Isonomy, he set to work to get Deadlock back. 

 One day a farmer came to see the cart stallion 



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