THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH 1 1 



through the sale ring at Doncaster, and she was 

 then knocked down to Day at about the same price. 

 William Day describes her as ** a beautiful, rich, 

 but rather dark-coloured chestnut, standing about 

 1 6 hands, very powerful and lengthy ; a small 

 and generous head, with a short, straight neck, 

 but a little upright in her fore legs ; very quiet, 

 and having fine temper/' He also states that 

 his father, just before he bought Virago, pro- 

 nounced her to be " the finest yearling in the 

 world," and declared that he should insist 

 upon Mr. Padwick buying her, cost what she 

 might. 



As a two-year-old. Virago ran once only. 

 She was matched against Lord Clifden's filly 

 Ossa at the Newmarket First October Meeting, 

 but forfeited that engagement at a cost of ^150. 

 The race in which she did compete was the Astley 

 House Stakes at Shrewsbury in November, the 

 conditions of which stipulated that the winner was 

 to be sold for ;^ioo, with allowance of weight if 

 for a smaller sum. The filly's participation in 

 this event was a colossal piece of bluff, the purpose 

 of which was to deceive those whose duty it was 

 to frame the big handicaps of the following spring. 

 Day and Mr. Padwick already knew that Virago 

 was exceptionally smart, and they determined to 

 make the most of their knowledge. Their scheme 

 was carefully thought out. To begin with. 

 Virago was entered to be sold for ;^8o, a bit of 



