JOHN DAY'S RETIREMENT 29 



himself by saying that he liked to know the best 

 and the worst. He preferred to have a horse 

 that could stay long courses rather than a mere 

 sprinter; he had, indeed, a poor opinion of a 

 horse who lacked stamina. 



A few months before the rupture between 

 Day and Mr. Padwick we had moved from 

 Michel Grove to Findon, where, on the edge of 

 the Downs, Mr. Padwick built some stabling. 

 This is the establishment now occupied by Mr. 

 Robert Gore, the trainer of Jerry M., Cackler, 

 Covertcoat, and other good steeple-chasers. Since 

 the days of which I am now writing the place 

 has been considerably enlarged and improved. 

 In the valley, immediately in front of the house, 

 lies the village of Findon, with which some of 

 my most delightful memories are associated. 

 There it was I met and married my first wife. 

 Miss Moodie. There, too, I was able to indulge 

 my fondness for gardening — a fondness which 

 became intensified as the years passed. And all 

 the while I was mastering the details of the 

 trainer's art. I had exceptional opportunities for 

 so doing. Not only did I perform the ordinary 

 duties that fall to the lot of an apprentice in a 

 training-stable ; I also assisted John Day to 

 keep his books, and gave other clerical aid. 



After Day's departure my responsibilities 

 increased. Splendid fellow though William 

 Goater was in many ways, he lacked scholarship. 



