134 HARK FORRARD! 



natural. In two or three instances powerful 

 stables were represented, and a horse called 

 Tittlebat, from Captain Mitchell's stable, was, 

 reported to be able to smother fche Grand 

 National winner at a stone. Reports of phe- 

 nomenal trials were rife, and if half what was 

 said of several of the competitors was true, 

 •the race was all over bar the proverbial all 

 right, ' Onme ignotum pro magnifico,' and as 

 many of the runners had never won twenty- 

 sovereigns over a country, the above quotation 

 was in this instance particularly applicable. 



On arriving on the course Reginald found 

 that Tittlebat was established a firm favourite. 

 The prestige of the stable which had turned 

 out no less than three ' Grand National ' winners 

 in five years, coupled with the reports of his trial, 

 amply sufficed to place him at the head of the 

 poll. Then the Olive Hill representative was 

 backed, and well backed, by his party, who pro- 

 fessed to fear nothing. Vittoria, a grand-looking 

 chestnut mare, hailing from Marton in the Mud 

 and trained by that excellent and successful 



