70 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



faith in Bedminster by winning the Prince of 

 Wales's Handicap over the Rowley Mile with 

 9 St. in the saddle and twenty-four opponents 

 behind him. It certainly looked as though 

 Bedminster was a sound betting proposition. 

 He, however, proved to be nothing of the sort, 

 for he ran " nowhere.'* One critic suggested 

 that when our trial took place we ought to have 

 put Wells on Argonaut instead of Bedminster. 

 It is, of course, conceivable that had we done so 

 we should have had less cause for being so 

 extremely sanguine. 



Our faith in Bedminster did not entirely 

 evaporate however ; we hoped he would make 

 amends in the Derby, which was to be his next 

 race. For this we decided that he should be 

 tried again, and one glorious morning Sir Joseph 

 and Lord Annesley arrived at Cannon Heath to 

 see the colt tested. As we went on to the Downs 

 Lord Annesley waxed enthusiastic about the 

 invigorating air and the beauty of the scenery. 

 We were all, indeed, in high spirits. Then, by 

 way of an anti-climax, we endured the mortifica- 

 tion of seeing Bedminster break down during the 

 trial. As we returned to the stables Sir Joseph, 

 with a mischievous look in his eyes, turned to 

 his partner and said, ** Well, Annesley, and what 

 do you think of the scenery now ? " 



I patched Bedminster up as well as I could, 

 and it was decided he should take his chance at 



