A GREAT YEAR 



on a course which the professionals declare taxes 

 their judgment and skill more than any other in 

 England. 



" Since the death of John Day in 1883, the establish- 

 ment and training grounds of Danebury have passed 

 into the hands of his son-in-law, Tom Cannon ; a man 

 ' many-counselled ' and of much sagacity, under whose 

 management Stockbridge seems likely to renew its 

 youth, and continue to flourish exceedingly, a living 

 proof that ' Palings do not a meeting make, nor iron 

 rails a course.' " 



To avoid the somewhat inconvenient journey to the 

 meeting it was the custom of some of its frequenters 

 to take a cottage in the neighbourhood, and if they 

 were fishermen the week's sport often included the 

 capture of some Test trout. Few of the chief sup- 

 porters of the Turf were absent. William Day, 

 brother of John of whom Lord Suffolk speaks, has 

 given me his account of the Historian race, for he 

 trained the horse. It appears that Sir Frederick 

 Johnstone and his friends had gone badly at the meeting 

 and though it had not been intended that Historian 

 should run he was sent for to act as a retriever. A 

 limitless commission was launched and the wonder 

 is that those who executed it were able to lay as little 

 as 7 to 4 on at the finish. It would be interesting to 

 know the figures which were written down in the books 

 of those who did the business. This occurs to me 



