The Godolphin Arabian, 165 



well that he took a start, and measured fifteen hands 

 before midwinter. 



His misfortunes began a week after Christmas, as 

 his boy suddenly found him walk lame in the Park, 

 where some hedge thorns had been lying about, and 

 on getting off to feel, broke one short into his off fore 

 fetlock. No one could discover its whereabouts, and 

 the leg swelled to such an extent that he was not out 

 of his box for six weeks. After a severe blister he 

 went pretty sound again, but he never seemed to get 

 actually rid of the thorn till he won the Lincoln Han- 

 dicap. It was supposed that the gathering burst 

 from the exertion, as the leg grew fine from that 

 hour. He had round but not high action, which in 

 deep ground became perfectly dead. Aldcroft liked 

 his style of running in the Ebor Handicap so much, 

 that he begged to ride him in the Great Yorkshire ; 

 and Mr. Parr was so convinced, from what he saw of 

 the race up to the distance, that he had the foot of 

 Rifleman, that he did not hesitate to back him at long 

 odds for the St. Leger, in spite of his fourth place. 

 He had also a notion that he did not relish the sharp 

 twisted snaffle in which he was ridden at York ; and 

 when he had telegraphed to his London agent for the 

 smoothest bit he could send, he found, when he got 

 upon him in his exercise at Derby the next Tuesday, 

 that he went quite gaily up to it. His confidence 

 was increased by hearing Nat take the odds to 

 two or three sovereigns about him on the Stand. 



" It's not often yon see me bet',' said he, when some 

 of his friends demanded to know what was up ; " but 

 this little gentleman took a deal of catcJiing at York!' 

 And so having scored his twelfth victory, he went 

 back to Benhams for his final polish, and did strong 

 work until nine days before the St. Leger. Three 

 days' walking exercise, and then a gentle gallop, pre- 

 ceded his Friday's trial, and on that evening Mr. JParr 

 went up to London, and got on to win six thousand 



