82 HORSE-EACING IN FRANCE 



Cliantilly, where lie was opposed by tlie best French 

 horses for the Prix de I'Empereiir (for which, of course, 

 Monarque, having broken down, could not run), and he 

 won easily, giving, four years old as he was, 10 lbs. to 

 Miss Cath (five years old) and nearly 20 lbs. to the 

 three-year-olds Ventre Saint-Gris (winner of the French 

 Derby), Gouvieux (winner of the Poule des Produits and 

 of wliat is now called the Grande Poule des Produits), 

 and Zouave (a good horse but a true son of The Baron, 

 shifty son of a shifty sire). Of Ventre Saint-Gris, by the 

 way, it is to be noted that he, like our Blair Athol, won 

 his Derby the first time he ran in public ; like Eomulus 

 and Araalfi (winners of the French Derby in 1839 and 

 1851), never won another race ; and, like our Bend Or, 

 had his identity disputed and established by enquiry. 



But to return to Monarque : As regards his per- 

 sonal appearance Monarque is described as a bright 

 bay, with a beautiful head, a long neck, a deep, 

 well-sloped shoulder, rather weak loins, and defec- 

 tive thighs : a magnificent stem, in fact, but rather 

 a weak stern. At his full height he stood, it is said, 

 1 m. 62 c. (about 16 hands). He had a considerable 

 turn of speed, but his great point was his gameness. 



' Never,' says one of his admiring compatriots, ' did he ask 

 for mercy, never did he cry, " Hold ! enough ! " His courage, 

 on the contrary, seemed to increase with the demands made 

 upon it : he ahvays and everywhere showed a readiness to meet 

 all comers. The tasks imposed upon him were sometimes 

 heyond his powers, but never attained the hmits of his coui-age. 

 Before the struggle Monarque would pace the paddock, walking 

 easily and calmly with that light and measured tread which is 

 peculiar to horses of noble blood ; head low, tail dancing, in- 

 different he seemed to all that went on around him. When his 

 clothing was removed to saddle him nobody could ever detect 

 in him. the slightest sign of that nervous trembling or of that 



