238 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



at Doncaster, a renewal of the Epsom battle 

 with Melton, who won the St. Leger by six 

 lengths from Isobar. Paradox, at Goodwood, 

 won the Sussex Stakes, giving Royal Hampton 

 9 lb. and a three-quarter-length beating. In 

 the autumn, at Newmarket, he readily defeated, 

 though the verdict was only a neck, his former 

 stable companion Duke of Richmond, and in 

 the Free Handicap carried 9 st. 2 lb. to victory. 



We had intended running Paradox in the 

 Cambridgeshire. All the necessary arrange- 

 ments were completed. Some of the patrons of 

 the stable had backed the colt to win a substantial 

 sum, and the public also helped themselves 

 pretty freely. When the weights made their 

 appearance Mr. Brodrick Cloete was in Mexico, 

 where he had big business interests. It was 

 not, I believe, until he reached New York, on 

 his way home, that he learned that Paradox was 

 handicapped at 8 st. 12 lb. On arriving in 

 London, and without consulting me or any one 

 connected with the stable, he went to Weatherby's 

 and struck his horse out of the race. Having 

 ** done the deed,** Mr. Cloete came down to 

 Kingsclere by the first available train and gave 

 me the news. It astounded me. There was a 

 great hullabaloo. Naturally we were all very 

 vexed. I told Mr. Cloete frankly that he had 

 most seriously injured his reputation as a sports- 

 man, and at the same time had done a great 



