252 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



at Kingsclere one day, rode him a couple of 

 canters. After he had pulled up I asked his 

 Grace what he thought of his mount. He 

 replied : " I felt every moment that I was going 

 to be shot over his head, his propelling power 

 is so terrific.*' Another day I myself got on 

 Ormonde's back just to be able to say I had 

 been there, but I never rode him on the Downs. 



Half-way through October, then, Ormonde 

 was ready to race. He held an engagement in 

 the Middle Park Plate, but we thought it better 

 that he should make a beginning in an event 

 of less importance. The one chosen was a 

 Post Sweepstakes of ;^2oo each, decided over 

 the Bretby Stakes course of six furlongs at 

 Newmarket. This happened to be the race 

 immediately preceding the Middle Park Plate, 

 which in those days was run on the Wednesday 

 of the Second October Meeting. The Middle 

 Park that year was won by Mr. Vyner's Minting, 

 who gave Mr. " Benholm's " Braw Lass 9 lb. and 

 a neck beating ; Saraband, carrying the same 

 weight as the winner, was a very close third. 



Ormonde in his race had only two opponents 

 — the Duke of Portland's Modwena and the Duke 

 of Hamilton's Warbler. It was, therefore, quite 

 a " ducal " affair. Modwena was a filly by 

 Galopin out of Mowerina; she had previously 

 run in ten races and won eight of them, the 

 eighth being the Bretby Stakes, in which she was 



