SUCCESSES IN 1844. 117 



"feather" and Vibration 8 st. 9 lb. The betting 

 was very heavy, as it was considered absurd to 

 run a two-year-old over such a long course against 

 a good five-year-old mare ; but to win such a race 

 was the height of his Lordship's ambition. 



The stable's successes in 1844 commenced with 

 the victory of the Duke of Richmond's Ked Deer 

 for the Chester Cup. The betting was heavy, and 

 the race had never been won before by a three- 

 year-old ; in fact, three-year-olds were not entered 

 for it until two years previously, when his Lordship 

 put some in. During the winter Lord George was 

 able to get on a large stake in small sums by back- 

 ing the three-year-olds, Kent's lot, and Red Deer 

 outright, without directing attention to the horse. 

 As Red Deer was handicapped at 4 st., it ap- 

 peared to Lord George so great a certainty that 

 he made a book for him, laying against others. 

 In a letter to me dated January 13, 1844, he says : 

 " I am glad to see Red Deer in at 4 st. (as well 

 as Strathspey) for the Chester Cup ; for if Kitch- 

 ener can get Red Deer out, and if he is the horse 

 over a distance of ground that you tried him 

 to be, I don't see how he can be beaten." With 

 his Lordship's love for heavy speculations it may 

 be easily imagined to what extent he would bet 

 upon a race of this description, when entertaining 

 the opinion he expresses in the above letter. In 

 another letter, written from Harcourt House, Feb- 

 ruary 24, 1844, he says: "At present all I have 



