Vanderdecken. ioi 



all weights and distances. Vanderdecken continued his 

 victorious career for about five years, and won such an 

 extraordinary number of races that his name in India 

 has passed into a proverb. He was a wonderful stayer, 

 and could carry any weight. The old horse continued 

 running, though but a shadow of his former self, 

 until he was about fifteen years of age, and then found 

 rest in harness. Despite Vanderdecken's fame, there 

 was little to choose between him and Colonel Robarts' 

 Australian gelding Rocket, who was running at the 

 same time, and who did not possess even a " salt 

 water" pedigree. One of their fastest races was that 

 for the Merchants' Cup, two miles, at Calcutta, January, 

 1868, when Rocket, 9 st. 9 lbs. beat Vanderdecken, 9 st. 

 4 lbs., in 3 min. 44 sees. Colonel Robart's bonny Waler 

 mare Favourite — or Jenny, as her jockey, Jack Irving 

 used to call her — was about as good as either of these 

 geldings; while in later days, Ali Abdoolah's Satellite 

 and Mr. Maitland's Kingcraft were, perhaps, 10 lbs. better. 

 Satellite was an extraordinary good horse, but from 

 an unfortunate habit he had of over-reaching, did not 

 fulfil the promise of his youth. At Sonepore, 1873, 

 carrying 10 st. 8 lbs., he is stated to have gone out the first 

 mile in the Ticcaree cup in i min. 44 sec. Perhaps the 



