GEHEIMNISS AND SHOTOVER 203 



that caused the Duke to entrust me with his horses. 

 They arrived at Kingsclere after the close of the 

 racing season of 188 1. At that time there was 

 no reason for supposing that Shotover, a chestnut 

 filly by Hermit out of Stray Shot, was anything 

 out of the common. Her first race had been that 

 for the Middle Park Plate. Odds of 50 to i 

 were offered against her and she ran unplaced. 

 The following day she started favourite for the 

 Prendergast Stakes, but was beaten a neck by 

 Prince SoltykofF's Berwick, who had no form of 

 consequence to his credit. At the Houghton 

 Meeting Shotover was unplaced in a Nursery 

 Handicap. That was the full tale of her career 

 as a two-year-old. It is hardly the sort of prelude 

 one expects to a Derby triumph. 



At that time, however, Shotover's powers 

 were undeveloped. She was a magnificent-look- 

 ing filly, with plenty of size and fine action, but 

 unfortunately was hampered by a delicate con- 

 stitution. Bred at Blankney by Mr. (now Vis- 

 count) Chaplin, she was sent to Newmarket to 

 be sold as a yearling, and, acting for the Duke of 

 Westminster, Robert Peck bought her for 1400 

 guineas. Her dam. Stray Shot, was one of the 

 last of the animals bred by Sir Joseph Hawley, 

 and was a winner of several races, one of them 

 being over two miles. The second dam, Vaga, 

 was by Stockwell out of Mendicant, the dam of 

 Sir Joseph*s Derby winner Beadsman. The 



