1 84 MR. PARKER. 



any matter on which he was not thoroughly informed 

 of his own knowledge, he would listen with deference 

 to the arguments of those whom he thought more 

 likely to know than himself, and would act on the 

 advice so received. When he had made up his mind, 

 he would bet boldly. He preferred to run his horses 

 mostly for the big handicaps ; knowing well two things: 

 First, that on no other description of races could so 

 much money be won; and secondly, that horses that 

 might be good enough to win such events, were not 

 good enough to contend successfully with the best 

 horses in weight-for-age races. In this he showed 

 that he knew as well where to place his horses as 

 when to back them. I should, however, say that he 

 won one good weight-for-age race — the Ascot Cup. 

 On one point he was most determined; and nothing 

 would ever drive him from his settled conviction. He 

 believed that what he saw in a trial was the correct 

 form, no matter how completely an opinion so formed 

 might be upset by the result of the race itself. And 

 in this belief he was generally right; the race being 

 more often wrong than the trial — a fact which was 

 proved to demonstration by subsequent performances 

 over and over again. 



He was a man of strict honour and integrity ; and 

 enjoyed a reputation for talent, which was justly 

 bestowed, as proved on many occasions. He seldom 

 made an objection; but when he did, he generally 

 sustained it. In the Spring Meeting of 1858 at Ilsley, 



