346 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



indications that Barrett*s brain was slightly 

 affected. 



The defeat of La Fl^che was a most grievous 

 business for everybody associated with the Kings- 

 clere stable. Baron Hirsch in particular was 

 entitled to sympathy, for he had been literally 

 robbed of the honour of leading in the winner 

 of the Derby by gross carelessness on the part 

 of his jockey. And Barrett's conduct all but 

 deprived the Baron of the consolation he derived 

 when La Fl^che won the Oaks two days later. 

 The tremendous but unavailing effort she made 

 towards the finish of the Derby had seriously 

 jeopardised her chance in the fillies' race. The 

 interval of forty-eight hours was barely long 

 enough to enable La Fl^che, who had a very 

 highly-strung temperament, to regain her normal 

 condition. She won the Oaks, but it was by a 

 short head only that she beat The Smew. Before 

 the contest she was in a very nervous state and 

 sweating freely. We allowed Barrett to ride 

 her again, but not without misgivings. However, 

 we had no fault to find with the way he now 

 handled the filly. Although odds of 1 1 to 8 

 were laid on her, we should not have been in 

 the least surprised if she had failed. 



I did not saddle La Fl^che again until Good- 

 wood, two months later. She then won the 

 Nassau Stakes, giving Broad Corrie 7 lb. and a 

 length-and-a-half beating. This brings us again 



