A GREAT YEAR 



' In all probability it is in the dip that Minting him- 

 self will get left behind ! ' Matt smiled. It was a 

 scornful smile. I knew he was thinking me foolish 

 for entertaining the idea I had expressed. At that 

 moment no amount of talking would have shaken 

 the supreme faith he had in Minting's ability to 

 beat his rivals in the Two Thousand or any other 

 race." 



Watts rode Minting in the Two Thousand, Archer 

 having been secured for Saraband, and George Barrett, 

 who may perhaps be described as a very eccentric 

 genius, on whom it was impossible to place confident 

 reliance though it was quite possible that he might 

 ride brilliantly, was on Ormonde. The opinion of 

 Matthew Dawson was held to be infallible by pro- 

 bably a large majority of racegoers, his belief in 

 Minting was well known and that accounted for the 

 colt starting favourite at 1 1 to 10, Saraband at 3 to 1, 

 slightly preferred to Ormonde at 7 to 2. Tom 

 Cannon was on Mephisto, who with St. Mirin, ridden 

 by F. Barrett, stood at 100 to 3, whilst 200 to 1 was 

 on offer against the Duke of Westminster's Coracle, 

 whose mission was to make running for Ormonde if 

 it were possible to do so, and the attempts of his 

 jockey Viney to poach a start brought him under the 

 severe displeasure of Lord Marcus Beresford. As a 

 matter of fact Coracle was quite unable to perform the 

 mission designed for him. I have a perfect recollec- 



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