8o JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



daughters. It used to be the fashion in those 

 days, and not without reason, to impose New- 

 minster blood on that of Stockwell, or vice versa. 

 The Birdcatchers often had curby hocks ; descend- 

 ants of Touchstone very seldom had a curb. On 

 the other hand, many of the Touchstones had 

 straight shoulders and not the best of forelegs, 

 defects which the Birdcatchers rarely displayed. 

 The offspring of Stockwell were much hardier 

 than those of Newminster. As a rule, a mare by 

 Stockwell was a far better mother than a mare 

 by Newminster. The former always had a great 

 supply of milk. This is a characteristic which 

 Bend Or, a grandson of Stockwell, transmitted 

 to his daughters, and a very valuable one it is. 



If we turn to the report of the Newmarket 

 Houghton Meeting of 1868 in the Racing Calen- 

 dar^ it is to find that " Sir J. Hawley's The 

 Palmer, 8 st. 13 lb., received forfeit from Mr. 

 Chaplin's Hermit, 8 st. 10 lb., both four years 

 old. Across the Flat (i J m.). ;^5oo, half forfeit.'* 

 It would be interesting to know the inner history 

 of that Match. Perhaps the Derby bet between 

 the two owners came up for discussion some time 

 or other, and Sir Joseph, desiring to emphasise 

 his opinion that Hermit was lucky to win, auda- 

 ciously backed The Palmer to give Mr. Chaplin's 

 horse 3 lb. Though Hermit paid forfeit, it can- 

 not have been because he was not fit, for the follow- 

 ing day he was well backed to win the Houghton 



