434 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



old were in a Biennial at Ascot, and the Prender- 

 gast Stakes at Newmarket in the autumn. In both 

 he ran unplaced. 



When I tried him over a mile on May 3, 1 902, 

 he was beaten at level weights, a neck and a 

 length, by the three-year-olds St. Benet and Just 

 Cause. This form looked a little better when, 

 four days later. Just Cause won the Roodeye 

 Maiden Plate at Chester; and two days later 

 still Friar Tuck himself won the May Plate at 

 Kempton Park. Then came the Derby trial 

 which he won. We had little cause, however, 

 to expect Friar Tuck to distinguish himself at 

 Epsom. Sceptre, winner of the Two Thousand 

 and One Thousand Guineas, was a raging hot 

 favourite for that year's Derby, while Pekin and 

 Ard Patrick were also strongly fancied candi- 

 dates. Against Friar Tuck odds of 100 to 7 

 were laid. Ard Patrick won by three lengths 

 from Rising Glass, with Friar Tuck third, 

 another three lengths away. Sceptre, who ran 

 a long way below her true form, finished fourth. 

 In the St. Leger, Friar Tuck was again placed 

 third. Sceptre and Rising Glass being in front 

 of him. He, however, won three other races 

 that season, and so paid his way very well. It 

 may be said of him that he was just a useful sort 

 of horse. He went to India when a four-year-old, 

 and then to Australia, where he was at the stud 

 a few seasons. 



