A DERBY FAVOURITE MISSING. 31 



stud, and of his house and stables at Find on, could 

 probably enlighten us on the subject. 



I had almost omitted to mention one incident 

 illustrative of Mr. Padwick's eagerness for ' a deal ' in 

 horseflesh, and its curiously unfortunate result. In 

 the last days of my father's management of Findon, 

 Mr. Padwick came on a Sunday with a party to see 

 his Derby favourite, Belgrade, at exercise. Now my 

 father of late years, like myself, never exercised his 

 horses on Sunday. But Mr. Padwick was urgent. 

 ' It would make,' he said, ' thousands of pounds 

 difference to him if his friends saw his horse out and 

 his beautiful action when extended, instead of seeing 

 him merely in the stable, picture as he was ' ; or, as 

 the dealers would say, ' his very shadow on the wall 

 was of untold value.' My father would not give 

 way. 



' Belgrade is your horse,' he said, ' as well as the 

 rest, and you can do as you like with them. But if 

 you take them out, Goater may go with you if he 

 likes, but you must excuse me.' 



This was enough. Belgrade and a few more were 

 at once taken to the Downs and cantered, when a 

 scene occurred which Mr. Padwick could never have 

 forgotten to his dying day, nor his astonished friends 

 either. Galloping with an old horse, Belgrade became 

 frightened at nothing, or at nothing that could be 

 seen. Generally of a docile disposition, he now became 

 suddenly unmanageable, and dashed off at a furious 



