248 A Morning at Newmarket 



Solomon is a useful plater ; Harlequin a son of the 

 ' old horse,' and even handsomer than his sire ; Strath- 

 more is a big bay, no beauty, but one that looks like 

 racing and moves like a racehorse ; Flowery Land has 

 shown some fair form and carried off one of the principal 

 early two-year-old races ; but- it is hoped that the other 

 two are better than he. The weights are high so that 

 jockeys can ride, or rather so that one in particular who 

 is attached to the stable can be up on Solomon ; they 

 are to wear silk, in order that the youngsters may grow 

 accustomed to the rattle and crackle of the jackets when 

 they come to racing, and perhaps because silk gives a 

 more business-like air to the performance. The horses 

 are stripped, the riders throw off their coats and appear 

 in racing costume so far as their bodies are concerned, 

 for the usual breeches and gaiters deck their legs, and, 

 accompanying owner, trainer, and a friend, we take up 

 our position by the improvised winning-post. There is 

 a stir round about, for a gallop ahvays attracts some 

 attention, and these are known to be colts from whom 

 not a little is expected ; so that most of the groups move 

 towards the ground along which the four will come. 



"What will happen ? The thing we trust that we 

 may not see is Solomon in front at the finish. It is 

 asking the young ones to do a good deal to beat him at 

 10 lb. this early summer day ; but they are expected to 

 do a good deal, and it is well to know what they can do. 

 We hope, too, that the presumed treasures are 9 lb. 

 better than Flowery Land ; so that w^e do not want him 

 to win. It is an exciting moment, for we have watched 

 these two young horses for months past, with despon- 

 dency sometimes when they did not seem to move well, 

 when their action appeared lacking in freedom ; with 



