184 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



If I had not been so certain of there not having been 

 time enough to prepare " Solitario," I ought to have been 

 impressed with the style in which he kept up with a very- 

 fast thoroughbred mare, " Lady Ehzabeth," when we rattled 

 them along in a five-furlongs spin. I was thinking of 

 other matters, however, and, though I noticed how well he 

 moved and how gallantly he took hold of his bit to the 

 end, I thought no more about him, and pulling up " Lady 

 Elizabeth," returned to superintend the work of the re- 

 maiuder. I did not even get on to " Solitario's " back 

 until I weighed out for his race, which was for maidens 

 only. Both Heredia and I each had a " pony " on a horse 

 called " The Eush," who had just previously been beaten 

 by a head for the Spanish Maiden at Gibraltar, finishing 

 in front of " Jerezano," on whom I had had the mount, and 

 we had not a single penny on " Solitario." The latter ran 

 extremely raw in his race, " yawing " all over the course, 

 and before we had reached the first turn we were the 

 absolute last. Half-way down the course, on the far side, 

 we were several lengths behind, and I could see " The 

 Eush " making the running in front, and going quite at his 

 ease. " Just what was to be expected," was my thought. 

 However, it came into my mind that Heredia had told me 

 that " Solitario " was very much afraid of the whip, so just 

 to see what effect it had I commenced to " threaten " him 

 with it, and almost instantly he shot up to the rearmost 

 horses. 



" Hulloh," I said to myself, " let me see what you can 

 do," and sitting down on him commenced to " drive " him 

 in earnest. He very soon worked his way through the 

 rearmost horses, and when we turned into the straight only 

 " The Eush " and " Aquila " were in front, ridden by two 



