304 'LORD OF THE ISLES. 



more numerous party, had no hesitation in stating; 

 from the very first that ' I had ridden the horse to a 

 stand-still, and but for his indomitable pluck must 

 have been beaten.' The acquaintances and wouTd-be 

 friends of owners of horses are a numerous class, 

 both presumptuous and officious. They know what 

 the owner can't possibly know, according to their 

 own ideas, and what is for his good, better than 

 those he employs. They point out the mistakes that 

 have been made in the training; and the riding of his 

 horse, or the utter folly of the ridiculous instructions 

 given by the trainer to the jockey. Even Mr. Merry 

 himself was not, on this occasion, proof against these 

 well-intended suggestions. He asked me if I objected 

 to my brother Alfred riding the horse for the second 

 race on the Wednesday ; and, of course, I replied that 

 I should be delighted if he did. Alfred was accord- 

 ingly put up, and the race ended exactly as the first 

 had done ; the fiat of the judge being a head victory, 

 after a most determined struggle. On this occasion 

 the jockey was, and very justly, eulogized for his 

 admirable tact — the patient skill in the early part of 

 the race, and the coming at the last with an electric 

 rush, measuring the distance to a hair. Mr. Merry 

 himself took a sensible view of the matter. In the 

 Lavant Stakes Paradigm had run his horse to a short 

 head ; and he very wisely said that she might have 

 been a real good mare, and so attributed his own 

 horse's victory by so short a distance to her merits 



