EPSOM 91 



at 2 to i. The Cambridgeshire winner of the previous 

 year had not the slightest difficulty in defeating Sir Visto, 

 but he was unable to give 8 Ibs. to Labrador, the runner- 

 up to Persimmon for the St. Leger, and certainly Labrador 

 was smart then, though he afterwards deteriorated. Neither 

 was Marco so good at four years old as he had been when 

 a year younger ; but it was the hard ground that stopped 

 him, and he was never properly wound up after the winter 

 following his meritorious three - year - old career. He had 

 bad feet, and consequently gave his trainer a lot of trouble, 

 but during the autumn of 1895 tne g m g was J ust to n * s 

 liking, and he would most certainly have won the Cambridge- 

 shire with 8 stone in the saddle. All the running of the 

 two horses suggests that Marco would have won both Derby 

 and St. Leger had he been engaged therein, but he went 

 to the stud at a lower figure than Sir Visto, and this shows 

 what prestige is still attached to a Derby winner. 



In 1893 an d 1894 the Derby winners were Isinglass and 

 Ladas, and most certainly these were respectively the best 

 of their years. Isinglass was in fact a great horse, and an 

 Ascot Cup winner, and if Ladas was not quite in the same 

 class, he was a beautiful specimen of the thoroughbred, 

 who might have lasted longer on the turf had his pasterns 

 been a trifle longer and stronger. He was defeated by 

 Throstle in the St. Leger, but there was something very 

 fluky about that race, and, moreover, Throstle was a great 

 mare when she chose to give her best running. A more 

 beautiful mover than Ladas has not been seen for many 

 a year. He went to the stud with a far higher reputation 

 than Sir Visto, and it was understood that his subscription 

 was filled for two years privately, but at a price which 

 has never been made public. The previous winner of the 

 Derby to Ladas was Sir Hugo, and though this colt beat 

 La Fleche in the Derby, the latter was the best of the 

 year and turned the tables most decisively on her Epsom 

 conqueror in the St. Leger. Still Sir Hugo was the second 

 best colt of his year, the best no doubt being Orme, who 

 was unable to take part in the Derby, and whose St. Leger 

 chance was spoilt by the reckless manner in which he 



