A GREAT YEAR 



called the Duke led the horse twice round the paddock, 

 and then walked him on to the course on the way 

 towards the stables. He seemed loath to leave go of 

 the leading rein. It was the greatest display of 

 enthusiasm I have ever seen on a racecourse." 



It will be perceived that Porter states it had taken 

 Ormonde all his time to win by a neck. I well recall 

 a conversation with Tom Cannon when he emerged 

 from the weighing room. Someone came to con- 

 gratulate him on the great race he had ridden, com- 

 menting on the desperate finish and the fear that 

 Ormonde might not be able quite to last home. When 

 the enthusiast had moved away Cannon remarked to 

 me that " it had not been as close a thing as that," 

 and certainly gave me to understand that he had never 

 felt in anything like a desperate state of anxiety about 

 the result. I published his precise words at the time, 

 but we are talking of five and thirty years ago, and I 

 am afraid that it would be impossible to find a copy 

 of the paper in order to quote them accurately. 



Ormonde was to appear only once more, for a six 

 furlong race at the Newmarket July Meeting — the 

 Imperial Gold Cup. A speedy horse called White 

 Friar belonging to Sir George Chetwynd was one of 

 the three runners, but Ormonde disposed of him, 

 though it may be admitted there was a time in the race 

 when it did not look ioo to 3 on the winner, that being 

 the price at which he started. In all Ormonde won 



150 



