SOME MEMORABLE MATCHES 337 



between two ' trotters ' (half-bred no doubt), 

 called Verny and Mauvaise-Tete respectively, 

 and they were to accomplish thirty French 

 leagues (about 120 kilometres, or about seventy- 

 two miles) without stopping, out to Rosny and 

 back, in the neighbourhood of Paris, on July 5, 

 for 15,000 francs (about ^600). Poor Mauvaise- 

 Tete had to be pulled up at St. Germain, on the 

 way back, and died then and there ; and Verny, 

 the winner, though managing to reach the goal, 

 was not in much better plight, but dropped down 

 on entering the stable and never got up again, 

 the ' vet ' who was called and essayed to bleed 

 the poor creature being unable to obtain anything 

 but 'a sort of currant jelly.' The French news- 

 papers expressed an indignation which did them 

 credit, and would have done them more had it 

 been anticipatory of the match, which was freely 

 advertised. 



A.D. 1883 : The Duke of Portland's St. Simon 

 (F. Archer) beat the Duke of Westminster's 

 Duke of Richmond (T. Cannon), two years, 

 8 St. 12 lb. each, at Newmarket, Bretby Stakes 

 Course (6 furlongs), for 500 sovs. a side, by three- 

 quarters of a length. (Noticeable because of 



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