GEHEIMNISS AND SHOTOVER 205 



Duke himself never had a bet, there were others 

 connected with the stable who backed our horses 

 very freely when the omens seemed favourable. 

 And let me say here that all my patrons worked 

 amicably together. None of them harboured any 

 secrets concerning their horses. Locksley, who 

 took part in our Guineas' trial, belonged to Mr. 

 John Gretton, but I had not to ask his permission 

 to put the horse in the gallop. It was understood 

 that I could use the horses in the stable as I thought 

 best. We were, in fact, a very happy family. 



Shotover won the Two Thousand Guineas 

 by a couple of lengths from Lord Bradford's 

 Quicklime, Marden finishing third, four lengths 

 farther away. Glancing down the list of eighteen 

 runners, one realises that the field was a very 

 moderate one that year. The first and second 

 favourites were Executor and Pursebearer, horses 

 who have long been forgotten. Two days later 

 Shotover competed for the One Thousand 

 Guineas. Odds of 4 to i were laid on her de- 

 feating five opponents, but she was beaten a neck 

 by the handsome St. Marguerite, and finished a 

 head only in front of Nellie. Her effort in the 

 Two Thousand had settled her for the time 

 being ; she was not strong enough to race again 

 so soon. 



During the month that elapsed before the 

 Derby, Shotover picked up nicely, and we sent 

 her to Epsom, believing, like the public, that only 



