SAINFOIN AND COMMON 317 



had got the best end of the bargain. Events 

 proved that we hadn't. 



Sainfoin remained under my care until the 

 end of September that year. The first race in 

 which he carried his new owner's colours was the 

 Dee Stakes at Chester. Odds of 16 to i were 

 laid on him, and he had no difficulty in beating 

 his only opponent, the Duke of Beaufort's Bull's 

 Eye. 



Then came the Derby, for which Surefoot, a 

 son of Wisdom, started favourite, odds of 95 

 to 40 being laid on him. As a two-year-old he 

 had won the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom, the New 

 Stakes at Ascot (beating Heaume, destined to 

 win the French Derby), and the Findon Stakes 

 at Goodwood. In the Two Thousand Guineas 

 he met a strongly fancied opponent in Le Nord, 

 and beat him easily. It will be seen, therefore, 

 that public form pointed unmistakably to Sure- 

 foot as the probable winner of the Derby, and 

 backers of Sainfoin had no difficulty in getting 

 6 to I to their money. 



Those of my readers who saw the Derby that 

 year will not have forgotten their experience. I 

 refer not merely to the shock and disappointment 

 which the defeat of the favourite occasioned, 

 but also to the miserable weather that prevailed. 

 Rain fell all day long, and came down in sheets 

 while the big race was being run. In addition 

 to Sainfoin, I saddled the Duke of Westminster's 





