io8 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



won good races with Rosicrucian and Blue 

 Gown, and the whole " atmosphere '* of the two 

 meetings appeared to us to be charged with 

 happy auguries. A word or two may be added 

 concerning the Cambridgeshire. We enter- 

 tained no big ideas about Wolsey's chance ; 

 he and Lozenge were both quoted in the betting 

 at 22 to I. They ran two thrilling races. In 

 the deciding heat slight odds were laid on our 

 horse, but he was beaten a neck. 



On Saturday, October 26, we left Newmarket 

 and went direct to Kingsclere, having now defi- 

 nitely vacated the stables at Cannon Heath. The 

 plans with which I was so busy while recovering 

 from my illness at Doncaster had been translated 

 into bricks and mortar. Park House had come 

 into being, and it was to be my home so long as 

 I remained in active service as a trainer — until, 

 that is to say, 1905. The house and stables 

 that exist to-day are, however, a considerably 

 enlarged edition of the establishment built by 

 Sir Joseph Hawley. His requirements were 

 small, for he never had many horses in training 

 at any one time. The house provided for 

 myself and family was a mere cottage, and the 

 boxes for the horses numbered only fourteen. 

 The land acquired extended to ten acres. It was 

 situated on the outskirts of the village, and 

 almost at the foot of the Downs which furnished 

 our training gallops. When Sir Joseph died I 



