THE 'BIG STABLE' • 129 



thus riinnino; twice and winnino- twice in tlie season, 

 and, for the first time since tlie days of Noe, established 

 a French horse in the position of favourite for next 

 5^ear's Two Tiiousand and Derby, as Hospodar became 

 for a time. And yet the French were not happy ; 

 indeed the ' Big Stable ' had already ' split up ' fi-om 

 unhappiness, an event which will be dealt with 

 presently. 



Meanwhile in France and on the Continent Alerte, 

 who had returned for a while to her native land after 

 her success at Stamford, had been picking up gold and 

 silver (in francs — that is) in moderation, at Moulins and 

 Valenciennes especially. But when the Baden Meeting 

 came she was not considered strong: enough for the 

 work^ and Stradella was despatched to win — as she did 

 — the Grand Prix at Baden and the Baden St. Leger, 

 beating all her ' compatriots ' and a German horse, 

 the most dangerous of her opponents — to wit. Count 

 H. Henckel's Arthur (by Hartneitstein). Nevertheless 

 the ' Big Stable ' began to fall into the background at 

 Baden, and the stables of MM. Delamarre, Aumont, 

 Eobin, and Viscount P. Daru began to assume the 

 ascendency, commencing by carrying off several ' prix ' 

 at Baden, and afterw^ards taking the Omnium (won by 

 Viscount P. Darn's Mazeppa), the Grand Prix du Prince 

 Imperial, now Prix Eoyal Oak (won by M. Eobin's 

 Souvenir, son of Caravan), and the Grand Prix de 

 I'Empereur, now Prix Gladiateur (won by M. Aumont's 

 brilliant but uncertain Mon Etoile) at Paris Autumn 

 Meeting. The most significant proof, however, of the 

 high opinion gained at this time by French produce, 

 especially that of the ' Big Stable,' was that it was 

 attracting the attention of English purchasers, insomuch 

 that the day after the Baden Meeting of 1862 Lord 



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