142 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



Leger was decided on soft turf. Anyway, Pero 

 Gomez won the St. Leger, beating Martyrdom 

 a neck. This was the first and only occasion 

 on which Sir Joseph Hawley's colours were 

 borne to victory in the Doncaster " classic." 

 Two days later Pero and Pretender had another 

 ** go '* at each other in the Doncaster Stakes, 

 over a mile and a half. Pretender was beaten 

 half a length only. This form is explained 

 by the fact that Pero Gomez was a lazy horse ; 

 he would not win by more than he could help. 

 I do not mean to say he required a lot of driving ; 

 he was very good-natured, but not one of the 

 free-going sort. The explanation offered by 

 John Osborne regarding Pretender reminds me 

 that Sir Joseph never thought much of horses 

 for whom excuses had to be made, either before 

 or after a race. Sometimes I had to tell him 

 that this horse wanted firm going or that pre- 

 ferred the ground soft. He always replied : 

 " They won't make the conditions to suit you. 

 Just take them as they come." 



A walk-over for both the Duke Michael and 

 Royal Stakes, and an unsuccessful effort in the 

 Free Handicap — all Newmarket races — brought 

 the career of Pero Gomez on the Turf to a close. 

 In the Free Handicap he carried 9 st., and 

 finished third to Cardinal York (who received 

 30 lb.), and Border Knight, in receipt of 26 lb. 

 These were two good horses to whom he was 



