Mr. dan THIRLWELL 



At Sandown Park one day in the early eighties, a little group 

 of three, consisting of the late Duke of Hamilton, his trainer 

 Dick Marsh, and the latter's father-in-law, Mr. Thirlwell, a 

 well-known Sussex sportsman and race-horse owner, were 

 discussing the probable winner of a steeplechase about to 

 be run. 



There was a large field and Duke "Rufus" could not 

 make up his mind what to back. 



*' Have a bit on mine, your Grace," suggested Mr. 

 Thirlwell. " He'll start at a long price, and my boy, Dan, 

 who I'm putting up, is riding him for the first time." 



The Duke took the tip and backed the young 'un's mount 

 for more than a trifle, and as the horse started at 20 to i, 

 had a good win. 



Later on in the afternoon, young Dan was up again in 

 a hurdle race, which he also won, the Duke being again well 

 on the winner, who, strangely enough, also started at 20 to i. 



Those two lucky mounts may fairly be said to have 

 founded Dan Thirlwell's fortune, for a few days afterwards 

 a message came to him, through his brother-in-law, Dick 

 Marsh, from His Grace of Hamilton, to the effect that he 

 would be very glad if Dan would go to Lordship Farm, where 

 his horses were then trained, and ride gallops for him for a 

 while. 



Needless to say the invitation was accepted with alacrity ; 

 and that the visit proved satisfactory to all concerned is 

 made clear from the fact that, henceforth, Dan Thirlwell 

 took up his permanent abode at Lordship Farm. At that 



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