CHAPTER XVI. 



MR. SWINDELL. 



Origin — Takes to the turf; shrewdness and reticence — His first 

 'coup' with Mr. Merry's Chanticleer — Horses — Weatherbound in 

 the Cambridgeshire ; extraordinary trial ; his confidence and 

 the Admiral's disbelief — Sir Joseph Hawley's opinion of Beacon ; 

 beat by Bevis — The match with the baronet ; the latter pays 

 forfeit ; diamond cut diamond — Brocket run for Ruby ; how 

 Ruby was kept Derby favourite — Exposure of a dishonest 

 trainer. 



Character — Employment of touts ; generosity ; business 

 capacity — The Burton Brewery — How we parted — Attitude to 

 his trainer — Bectitude — Non-interference — Instances of coolness 

 — Love of a good story — Examples — Adaptability — Prudence 

 — Last days. 



Xo more remarkable figure lias appeared upon the 

 turf in recent times than Mr. Fred Swindell. His 

 career, whether it be taken as an example of a 

 struggle against initial disadvantages, as a success in 

 varied undertakings, and specially in a line that he 

 had made his own, or as preserving intact to the end 

 the idiosyncrasies of a peculiar temperament, may 

 not only teach a lesson, but is in itself interesting as 

 a tale to be told. Mr. Swindell was born, I believe, 

 in Derbyshire, not far from Buxton. His parents 



