397 



For the Leger of 1862 he trained Buckstone for Mr. Merry, and 

 ridden by Fordham, he was beaten a head by The Marquis and Tom 

 Chaloner after a most tremendous race. John Scott trained the- 

 winner. The following year, for the Ascot Cup, Buckstone, ridden 

 by Arthur Edwards, ran a dead heat with Tim Whiffler and Sam Rogers^ 

 Each carried 8st. 71b. and beat Caller Ou and three others. The 

 decider up to within a hundred yards of the winning post was another 

 terrible race, but Buckstone lasting longest won by two lengths. 

 At Ascot in 1887, for the Hardwicke Stakes, Minting, trained by 

 Dawson, was beaten a neck by Ormonde, with Bendigo three lengths off". 

 These great horses were ridden respectively by the celebrated jockeys,. 

 Tom Cannon, John Osborne, and John Watts. 



Not even the hi-5toric match between the Flying Dutchman and 

 Voltigeur at York on May 13, 1851, was a grander race than any of 

 these three. 



Mat Dawson was not a man for bringing off " surprises," although on 

 a few occasions he did call forth a cheer from the Ring. As a rule hia 

 principal patrons did not bet heavily, neither did he, while Lord 

 Falmouth never betted at all. It was therefore not necessary that the 

 cloak of mystery should hang over his horses. If his case had been 

 like Scott's, where both master and man piled the money on every 

 good thing they had, he would have experienced a deal of trouble to 

 effect his purpose by reason of the vast addition made in the ranks of 

 the touting brigade of late years, and the facilities afforded by- 

 telegraphy. 



Some years ago Mat purchased the Manor House at Exning, where 

 Luke the jockey once lived. Here he built a magnificent range of 

 stabling, and rebuilt the dwelling-house, naming it after Lord Hastings' 

 famous horse Melton, which he trained for all his races, and came to 

 reside there in 1885. 



He then gave up Heath House to his nephew George, to whom also was- 

 transferred by the Duke of Portland the care of the stud with which 

 the young trainer immediately after did such marvels. 



Gradually since then Mat has still further relieved himself of the- 

 duties attendant upon a great racing establishment. But that he still 

 retains his old form and can run up with the young ones is evident 

 from the fact that in 1891 he placed Mr. Noel Fenwick at the head of 

 winning owners with £20,519, no one coming within £7,000 of th& 

 amount, except Colonel North with £20,113. 



He has now only Lord Rosebery's horses and his own under his care. 



At Melton House he has the finest collection of portraits of race- 

 horses perhaps in England, a list of which v/ill be found in my Racing- 

 chapter. (I hope he will get done what I often asked him— the 

 name of each put upon the frame.) All over the house are other 

 pictures to gladden the eye of the sportsman, while the sitting-rooms- 

 contain many and costly presents from his patrons. 



After having been before the public for over half a century, subject 



