256 SALE OF LORD GEORGe's STUD. 



yearlings. He was very anxious that they should 

 not leave Goodwood, for which beautiful domain 

 his affection was undiminished to the last hour of 

 his life. On Christmas Day 1846 he wrote a 

 letter from Welbeck Abbey, which showed that 

 politics had not quenched his ardent spirit. It 

 was couched in the following terms : — 



" Welbeck, near Worksop, Notts, 

 Dec. 25, 1846. 



" John Kent, — I am very glad to hear Mr 

 Mostyn has a good promise in the yearlings, and 

 trust that between this and next Goodwood Races 

 everything will be made pleasant and right, so 

 that the horses may permanently continue at 

 Goodwood. I hope your father will lose no op- 

 portunity of getting the Duke's permission to this 

 effect. 



" Let the Duke once take an interest in any of 

 Mr Mostyn's horses as a Derby horse, and he will 

 be as anxious about him as if he were his own, 

 and as unwilling as I should be to see him leave 

 Goodwood. 



" I, who stood to win above £100,000 on Gaper, 

 was scarcely more interested in him than the Duke 

 was before the Derby of 1843. I believe Mr 

 Mostyn never bets a shilling. — I am, your obedient 

 servt., G. Bentinck." 



No one was more gratified than his Lordship 

 when he heard that Surplice's merit as a yearling 



