138 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



was not engaged in the Two Thousand Guineas, 

 so I trained him with the Derby specially in 

 view. However, with odds of 2 to i laid on him, 

 Pero Gomez won the Newmarket Biennial, 

 beating Mr. Brayley's Duke of Beaufort a neck. 

 On the strength of this performance Duke of 

 Beaufort started an equal favourite with Pre- 

 tender for the Two Thousand Guineas. But 

 the equality ended at that, for Pretender won 

 the race cleverly by half a length from Belladrum, 

 and Duke of Beaufort finished in the ruck. 

 Before this Belladrum had lost caste as a candidate 

 for Derby honours, and Mr. Merry had hedged 

 his money. The discovery had been made that 

 the colt could not stay owing to wind infirmity. 

 Indeed, those who knew most about him were 

 astounded when they saw how resolutely he 

 stuck to Pretender on the Rowley Mile. 



Our customary Derby trial took place on 

 May 20. The record in my book reads: 



One Mile and a Half 



Lictor, 4 yrs., 7 st. i lb. . . . i 



Moma, 3 yrs., 7 st. 8 lb. . . . 2 



Blue Gown, 4 yrs., 9 st. 11 lb. . . Wells 3 



Pero Gomez, 3 yrs., 8 st. 9 lb. . . Adams 4 



Won by two lengths ; ten lengths between second 

 and third ; four lengths between third and fourth. 



This was a facer! We were completely 

 mystified. Adams and Wells could offer no 



