THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH 5 



man, I proceeded to draw up my indentures, and 

 presented them to Day for his signature. The 

 legal formalities completed, I took my allotted 

 place in the Michel Grove stable. 



A good deal of Turf history had been made 

 at Michel Grove. Forth trained there. One of 

 his patrons was Mr. W. G. R. Gratwicke, an 

 influential Sussex squire who lived at Ham, near 

 Worthing. Mr. Gratwicke was a liberal sup- 

 porter of the Goodwood Meeting, and his associa- 

 tion therewith is still commemorated by the 

 Gratwicke and Ham Stakes, two of the events in 

 the Goodwood programme. His Derby winners, 

 Frederick and Merry Monarch, were both trained 

 at Michel Grove. After Forth's death Mr. 

 Gratwicke sent his horses to John Kent at Good- 

 wood ; and when Kent gave up training, owing 

 to ill-health, they went to Newmarket, where, 

 together with those of the Duke of Bedford, 

 they came under the management of Admiral 

 Rous. A disagreement with the Admiral caused 

 Mr. Gratwicke to return to Michel Grove and 

 engage Escrett as his private trainer. Soon, 

 however, Escrett went back to Hednesford, 

 where he successfully managed an hotel. At 

 Michel Grove he was succeeded by Walter May, 

 but Mr. Gratwicke must have disposed of his 

 racing stud shortly afterwards, because John Day, 

 previously at Danebury, near Stockbridge, had 

 been at Michel Grove some little time when I 



