George IV. 103 



tried at the Oatlands distance and weights, and 

 Escape, with Chifney on him, won easily by three or 

 four lengths — the rest running in as we have named 

 them. On the Sunday before the race, Chifney got 

 a message from the Prince to meet him at the stables 

 at four o'clock on Monday afternoon. The four 

 horses were looked over, and Chifney, the moment 

 the sheets were taken off Escape, begged the Prince's 

 permission to ride Baronet instead of him. Both 

 Neale and Mr. Warwick Lake protested against the 

 change, and declared that the horse was never better ; 

 while Chifney as strongly maintained that he had lost 

 his form so completely since the trial, that it was 

 impossible to win with him. The Prince very soon 

 settled the question, and not only decided that 

 Chifney should ride Baronet, but added — " Whenever 

 I have two horses in a race, I wish you, Sam, to ride 

 the one you fancy most on the day, without consulting 

 us about it." The race was a severe one, but 

 Baronet won it, beating nineteen of the best horses 

 out, while Escape was absolutely " nowhere." The 

 King and Queen were present, with all their family, 

 to see it, and were not a little pleased when the Prince 

 told them the anecdote. Chifney's picture was shortly 

 afterwards taken on this horse, by Stubbs ; and 

 Nimrod tells us in his immortal articles of ''The 

 Turf, The Chase, and The Road," that the print still 

 occupied, in his time, the post of honour over the Old 

 Club chimney-piece at Melton, though a generation of 

 sportsmen had passed away, and the room had been 

 three times papered. 



With the remembrance of this stable scene fresh in 

 his mind, it was no wonder that the Prince felt sure 

 that Chifney would never play him false ; and that 

 Chifney, more sorry for his royal master than himself, 

 bore the temporary blasting of his riding hopes with 

 such manly fortitude. The Prince was also endeared 

 to him for his long and consistent kindness ; and, in 



