BACKING THE BARON. 223 



prepared, I think Clumsy, Croton Oil, Miss Elis, 

 and My Mary should be tried over again, to 

 enable me to decide whether or not I should let 

 those foreigners have Croton Oil. — I am, your 

 obedient servant, G. Bentinck." 



Before I left Doncaster to return to Goodwood, 

 Lord George remarked to me with characteristic 

 foresight, " I think The Baron cannot lose the 

 Cesare witch, although I am told that Colonel 

 Anson and John Scott think he has no chance at 

 the w^eight he has to carry — -7 stone 9 lb. Never- 

 theless, I shall back him and take my chance, as 

 he is as well in as Miss Elis would be at 6 stone 

 6 lb. or My Mary at 5 stone 12 lb. Surely my 

 two fillies would be bad to beat at those weights ? " 

 With his usual courage, and in total disregard of 

 what he knew to be the conviction of John Scott's 

 powerful stable, his Lordship threw a lot of money 

 on the market to back The Baron, which he in- 

 creased as the day approached, upon learning that 

 in my Cesarewitch trial Miss Elis and My Mary 

 finished first and second, beating the old horses at 

 very little difierence of weight. His Lordship's 

 money soon made The Baron first favourite, and 

 he told Colonel Anson what he had done, oftering 

 to give up some of his bets to the stable if they 

 liked to share with him. He then added that he 

 had retained Flatman to ride for him in the Ces- 

 arewitch, but that having no horse he fancied, he 



