176 MR. PARKER. 



hope, I imagine, that I would not run her again — at 

 that meeting at any rate. He stood some little time im- 

 pressing this upon me, and rubbing, as was his wont, 

 his full-grown mahogany -coloured nasal organ. I was, 

 I need not say, much annoyed at the mare's running 

 in this race — the Yorkshire Oaks. I was determined 

 to test its accuracy and learn if there was any truth 

 in Frank's statement, and so put her in the Queen's 

 Plate on Friday. In this she met Hesse Homburg, 

 who was first favourite at 5 to 2, having only recently 

 won the Brighton Stakes, beating a large field, and 

 Frank was on her. The result of the race is soon 

 told — for Bird on the Wing made play directly after 

 starting, was never headed, and won in the most lazy 

 way imaginable by two lengths. The mare did not 

 show any symptoms of roaring, nor Frank any sign 

 of truthfulness when he said she roared and was 

 out of form. Harry Goater rode her in the Park Hill 

 at Doncaster, which she won as she did her other 

 races — in a trot. In this, among others, she met 

 Sally again, and could have positively walked by the 

 post and won. Her performance, indeed, so frightened 

 Mr. .John Scott, that he came and offered me half the 

 Doncaster Stakes, if Long Bow won it, not to run her; 

 an offer which I readily accepted, and so got £410 

 for keeping her in the stable. This was a piece of 

 sheer luck, as she had a bad leg and could not 

 have run a second race that day if we had not 

 compromised. 



