224 EAGECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



Watts flourished his whip about, but did not 

 use it." 



"You couldn't see the finish from the Eed 

 Post. What did you do ? " I ask. 



" Oh, I galloped up on my pony," he replies, 

 with a smile, " and asked what had won. 

 ' Foxhall ! ' somebody said; 'won by a head.' 

 ' No, he didn't ; he won by half a length.' * I 

 tell you it was a neck.' ' I saw it plain enough, 

 and it was a head, and a very short one, too,' so 

 they holloaed out ; but I said, ' Never mind. A 

 short head's good enough for me if it's the right 

 way ; ' and just then No. 4 went up, and there 

 was no doubt about it." 



" What did you do with the horse between 

 the two races ? I am curious to know, for the 

 preparation for a mile and a two-mile-and-a- 

 quarter race must be so difi'erent." 



"Well, we came back from Newmarket on 

 Friday, and walked on Saturday. On Sunday I 

 never take my horses out, as you know. He 

 did a canter on the Monday, half-speed gallops 

 on Tuesday and Wednesday ; on Thursday and 

 Friday I sent him along a mile and a quarter 

 at his best speed, and he galloped steadily the 

 distance on Saturday. There was not much time, 

 you see ; but I knew he could stand as much 

 work as was good for him — no fear of that." 



