A GREAT YEAR 



whilst Monarch, winner of the Middle Park, is 

 awarded 9 st. Desmond was nearly favourite for the 

 Lincoln race, starting at 9 to 2 and finishing second to 

 a very slightly better favourite in Amurath, 4 to 1. 

 Lord Dunraven's colt progressed satisfactorily, so 

 much so that odds of 5 to 4 were laid on him for the 

 Woodcote Stakes and as nearly as possible landed, 

 Fairy Gold beating him a short head. The Summer 

 Breeders' Foal Plate at Manchester was the first of 

 Desmond's victories. Backers evidently thought the 

 Woodcote form good enough and laid 5 to 4 on him 

 again, with happier results than had been experienced 

 at Epsom. For the Coventry Stakes that year Captain 

 Machell sent out a hot favourite in Blackwing. When 

 it became known that the Captain fancied anything a 

 very short price was inevitable. Blackwing started at 

 9 to 4 on, but could only get third, Desmond winning 

 at 4 to 1 from Melfi. Lord Dunraven's dark blue, 

 yellow chevrons, sleeves and cap, were then landed in 

 the July Stakes. A filly belonging to the Prince of 

 Wales, Eventail, was much expected to win, no more 

 than 11 to 10 being obtainable above her, though there 

 was plenty of money for Desmond, who started at 1 3 to 

 8 and won by a neck. A colt with this record, for 

 Woodcote, Coventry, and July are races the winners 

 of which have seldom failed to distinguish themselves 

 subsequently, as a matter of course raised high hopes, 

 and it would seem curious that he never won another 



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