My Racing Adventures 



modestly informed them that he was only a 

 " National ' : winner, just that and nothing more, 

 their astonishment was obvious. I enjoyed a lot 

 of fun and good sport with " Ilex " in the hunt- 

 ing-field, together with many amusing incidents, 

 but they belong more suitably to a separate 

 chapter. We must not put all our eggs into 

 one basket, even if it is a good, strong basket, 

 and the eggs are fresh. 



At last, age and infirmity came upon " Ilex," 

 as they come on all of us, no matter how 

 virtuously we may have lived, and I was com- 

 pelled to have him shot when he was about 

 fifteen years old. It was a blow to me, if a 

 release for him, but we cannot trifle with certain 

 fatal matters. They are sure to beat us in the 

 end, despite our strenuous efforts to come up for 

 another round. After I had won the " National " 

 on " Ilex," Mr Masterman made me the hand- 

 some present of one thousand pounds. He also 

 returned me the cheque from his bank after it 

 had gone through, and I was foolish enough to 

 have it framed. It does not always suggest, at 

 present, the most cheerful reflections. If it could 

 only be cashed again ! 



" Ilex," I may mention, was by Restrevor, a 

 useful Irish horse, and he was out of Rostrom's 



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