THE GRADUAL RISE 



Handicap at Hurst Park always brings out horses of 

 exceptional speed, and did so as usual in 191 2. Mr. 

 C. E. Hay's Ouesta II. came first in the market at 

 4 to 1, followed by Quantock, and the then Colonel 

 E. W. Baird's Orsova at 11 to 2. Quantock beat 

 everything except Mr. L. Winans's Minehead, who had 

 three-quarters of a length the better of the finish, 

 Mr. J. R. Keene's very fast colt Castleton — who is 

 running still, or was so within a few months of the 

 time of writing — third, in front of Mr. H. P. Whitney's 

 Iron Mask II. and Matinee, Sir William Nelson's 

 Duke of Padua and Captain N. Alfrey's Hallaton, a 

 remarkable animal, for prior to being put into training 

 and holding his own in the very best company he had 

 done duty as a hack and hunter. There are other 

 instances of what may be called equine angels enter- 

 tained unawares. An animal called Betelgeux used 

 to be ridden with a pack of harriers kept by Tom 

 Cannon at Danebury, and no one thought of him as a 

 winner of races. Observing his speed, however, he 

 was put into training and beat animals, fairly useful, 

 who had won races elsewhere, at five furlongs. I 

 remember a farmer looking at Betelgeux in the paddock 

 after he had won a race at Stockbridge and observing, 

 ; ' No wonder my old cob couldn't keep up with that 

 one ! 



It was little discredit to Quantock to have failed 

 here, probably too he was not at his best that autumn, 



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