SAINFOIN AND COMMON 



In 1888 I attended, as usual, the sale of yearlings 

 which had been reared at the Royal Paddocks, 

 Hampton Court. Before the sale began I 

 wandered round and examined the lots that 

 were to come under the hammer. I was particu- 

 larly struck by a chestnut colt by Springfield out 

 of Sanda. Later I met Sir Robert Jardine, who 

 asked me if I had seen anything I liked. ** Yes,'* 

 I replied, " I have seen a little chestnut colt by 

 Springfield I am rather fond of.'* Sir Robert 

 suggested we should go and look at him together, 

 and when he had seen the colt he said he would 

 buy him. This pronouncement rather took the 

 wind out of my sails. I explained that I had 

 intended buying the colt myself. " Then we 

 will have him between us,'* said Sir Robert, 

 " and you shall take him to Kingsclere to train." 

 In due course the colt went into the ring, and I 

 was able to buy him for 550 guineas. We called 

 him Sainfoin. When fully grown he did not 

 measure more than 15.2. He was, however, 

 very cleverly made, and blessed with a most 



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