THE CAREER OF ORMONDE 263 



seen a race won more easily. Ormonde had a 

 great reception when he returned to the weighing- 

 room enclosure, into which he was, according to 

 custom, led by the Duke. 



I was now absolutely certain that in Ormonde 

 I had the best horse that had ever been under 

 my care, though I realised this more strongly 

 still when he met and defeated Bendigo. Look 

 at the horses Ormonde defeated! He was a 

 giant among giants. 



At Ascot, Ormonde won the St. James's 

 Palace Stakes from Calais and Seaton, and in 

 the Hardwicke Stakes beat Melton and three 

 others. His next race was the St. Leger at 

 Doncaster. He held a couple of engagements 

 at Goodwood, but I hold that a horse who is to 

 be asked to make a serious effort to win the St. 

 Leger should not race between Ascot and Don- 

 caster. You cannot hope to keep a horse per- 

 petually up to concert pitch ; there should be a 

 period during which he can ease off and pick 

 up something to work on in the months that 

 follow. This plan cannot be adopted satis- 

 factorily if your horse has to race at Goodwood 

 five or six weeks before the Doncaster Meeting. 

 I generally put my theory into practice when 

 given a free hand. John Scott, who trained so 

 many winners of the St. Leger, attributed his 

 success in connection with that race very largely 

 to the rest he gave his horses in the summer. 



