194 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



Hermit. Mr. Walker bred her himself. She 

 took part in two races only as a juvenile, and 

 won both — the Warren Nursery at Sandown 

 Park and the Home-bred Sweepstakes at New- 

 market. At the end of that season she left 

 Kingsclere with Mr. Walker's other horses. 

 Named Elizabeth, she won the One Thousand 

 Guineas and races at Epsom and Ascot, but 

 then lost her form. As a brood mare Elizabeth 

 figures in many a pedigree, for her daughter, 

 La Vierge, bred the winners Sir Geoffrey, 

 Innocence, Prince William, Pure Gem, Pure 

 Crystal, Lycaon, and White Magic. 



During the time I was virtually private 

 trainer to Mr. F. Gretton his brother John 

 occasionally came with him to Kingsclere. In 

 1877 Mr- John sent to me a two-year-old colt 

 named Jupiter, by Thunderbolt out of Rebecca. 

 He had bred the youngster himself, and I believe 

 I am correct in stating that this was the first 

 racehorse he owned. Jupiter that season ran 

 five times, but failed to win, though twice only 

 narrowly beaten. He, however, won races in 

 each of the two following seasons, but they were 

 of no consequence. Roquefort, also bred by 

 Mr. John Gretton, was at Kingsclere as a two- 

 year-old in 1 88 1. So hopeless was he as a 

 flat-racing proposition that we did not go to 

 the trouble of running him. When, however, 

 he was put to jumping a different tale had 



