TOD SLOAN 



called Encombe that I had influenced someone a few 

 days before to buy out of a selling race. On my way 

 to mount Encombe in the paddock the Prince beckoned 

 to me. He was standing with Lord Marcus Beresford, 

 who was holding the bridle of a colt Richard Marsh 

 had in the same race. 



" Sloan," said the Prince, " what are you riding ? " 



I told him Encombe. 



" Do you think you have a chance ? " he asked, 

 and I answered frankly that I thought Encombe was 

 a good thing. 



Lord Marcus spoke up then and told me I was wrong 

 and that Encombe would be nowhere. " We shall 

 beat Encombe," he went on, " and Dundonald will 

 beat both." 



I listened of course, but before I left to get in the 

 saddle I turned to the Prince : " Never you mind 

 what Lord Marcus says, your Royal Highness. You 

 can be a plunger here and have a bit on me." 



The Prince roared ; he was laughing at my nerve at 

 speaking so boldly to him I suppose. Well I was think- 

 ing of what I had said all through the race. I beat 

 Dundonald after a desperate finish. 



The Prince told me afterwards that he had taken my 

 advice and had put two hundred pounds on Encombe, 

 who I think started at about 7 to 2. 



When I was talking to the Prince I couldn't help 

 admiring the way he dressed. Especially did I like 

 his overcoats, hats, and cravats. Now some of the 

 American papers used to twist about everything I said 

 — and didn't say for the matter of that — and some 

 reporters, by whom I wouldn't be interviewed, would 

 invent all sorts of things on their own. One yellow 

 journal in particular made me say, without ever 

 talking to me about the subject, that I thought the 



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