136 HORSE-RACING IN FRANCE 



now called the Prix Eainbow and of what is now called 

 the Prix Gladiateur), Stentor (three years, winner of the 

 Poule d'Essai), Pergola (three years, winner of thePoule 

 des Produits), Dollar (three years, winner of what is 

 now called the Grande Poule des Produits), Guillanme 

 le Taciturne (three years, winner of the Prix de la Villa 

 de Paris), Orphelin (four years, a good but unlucky 

 horse), and far and away above all La Toucques (three 

 years, winner of both French Oaks and French Derby, 

 of what is now called the Prix Poyal Oak and of the 

 Grand Prix at Baden) ; and in England Alerte, Alci- 

 biade, Baliverne, Beatrix, Damier, Demon, Gabrielle 

 d'Estrees, Fontenoy, Jarnicoton, Le Marechal, Odine, 

 Sonchamp, Souniise, Stradella, Yillafranca, and, most 

 conspicuous of all, Fille de I'Air (two years), Hospodar 

 (three years), and La Toucques (three years). 



The dispersal of the ' Big Stable ' and, besides that, 

 the inclination to buy French produce had scattered 

 French horses all over the country among English 

 owners — but the ' Frenchmen ' owned by Englishmen 

 did not come to the front very much, and Lord 

 Stamford had little joy of his 6,000/. worth of French 

 horseflesh in Brick, Armagnac, and Le Marechal, 

 tliouo;h the last won three events out of six in 1863 

 (120/. at Warwick, 125/. at Newmarket, and 150/. 

 at Liverpool) — so that in 1863, more than ever 

 before, we find French horses running at nearly all 

 the English meetings from Lincoln (in February) to 

 Warwick (in November). 



Three, hoAvever, of these ' Frenchmen ' overshadow 

 all the rest — Hospodar by the prestige with which he 

 began the year. La Toucques by her undoubted merit, 

 and Fille de I'Air by her great performances. 



Hospodar may be dismissed in a few words : he 



