lo JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



the last time I donned silk. Altogether I had 

 about twenty rides in public. 



Long before this, however, I had decided not 

 to pursue my endeavours to gain distinction as 

 a jockey. I can smile now at my presumption. 

 There was I, a lad of sixteen, who had gone to 

 Michel Grove to be trained as a jockey, secretly 

 resolving that a jockey I would not be. Wells 

 and Virago provoked me into making this 

 resolution. 



The story of Virago is extremely interesting. 

 I have in my time seen many great fillies, but I 

 regard Virago as perhaps the greatest of them 

 all. Foaled in 1851 and owned by Mr. Padwick, 

 she was a chestnut by Mr. Gully's Derby winner 

 Pyrrhus the First out of Virginia, by Rowton, 

 the St. Leger winner in 1829. Incidentally, it 

 may be mentioned that Rowton stood barely 

 15 hands when he won at Doncaster, but is said 

 to have been a very good horse ; as a six-year-old 

 he ran second for the Ascot Cup. Virago, then, 

 was a two-year-old when I went to Michel Grove, 

 and it fell to my lot to exercise her on the training- 

 ground and ride her in trials — responsibilities 

 that gave me much pride and pleasure. She was 

 no trouble ; one of the most docile mares imagin- 

 able, any child could have ridden her. When 

 she was a yearling John Day had bought her 

 privately on behalf of Mr. Padwick for j^joo. 

 It was arranged, however, that she should pass 



