GEHEIMNISS AND SHOTOVER 199 



a head away. I felt, therefore, very confident 

 that Geheimniss would win the Oaks. There 

 were only five runners that year. Odds of 

 6 to 4 were laid on Geheimniss ; against St. 

 Marguerite 11 to 4 could be obtained, while 

 Nellie was at 11 to 2. Geheimniss won easily 

 by two lengths from St. Marguerite. 



Geheimniss suffered her first defeat a fort- 

 night later at Ascot, where she was beaten a 

 head over five furlongs in the Fernhill Stakes 

 by Lord Rosebery's Narcissa, a two -year -old 

 daughter of Speculum. This failure was the 

 outcome of an " incident,** for in running 

 Geheimniss jumped the road and became un- 

 balanced for a few strides. She was then put 

 by for the St. Leger, in which she finished second, 

 beaten a length and a half, to Dutch Oven, with 

 Shotover third, four lengths behind. In the 

 Cambridgeshire, carrying 8 st. 7 lb., she was 

 unplaced to Hackness. This was the race that 

 had to be postponed for twenty-four hours, 

 owing to a violent storm. 



Before the next season came round Lord 

 Stamford was dead. A most princely and 

 generous man, he was greatly missed. When- 

 ever he won a race I was instructed to give every 

 boy in the stable a sovereign, and he was always 

 extremely liberal to me. After his death, arrange- 

 ments were made whereby Geheimniss was 

 leased to Lord Alington and Sir Frederick 



