272 The Post and the Paddock. 



*' The Bank of England" went for 180 guineas, and 

 turned out to be by far the worst lot of the two. The 

 sales of Discount might form a chapter of them- 

 selves. He was a short-topped fifteen-three chestnut 

 up to a very high weight, but so slow on the flat that 

 the racing world doubt whether he has really come 

 in yet for the Goodwood Cup (1844), and fancy he 

 must still be working his way home round the Clump. 

 He was by Sir Hercules, out of Minnikin, by Man- 

 fred, and foaled in 1838 in the paddocks of his 

 breeder, the late Mr. John Fowler, of Erdington, 

 near Birmingham. After being beaten at Warwick, 

 in 1842, for the Members' Plate, he was sold that 

 afternoon to Mr. Denham for 70/. His new owner 

 merely put him over a few small fences, which he 

 took to the first day : but as the ground was hard he 

 could not do much with him. Lord Chesterfield 

 looked him over, and thought he could carry him 

 well in another season ; and Mr. Greene, who was 

 then at the commencement of his memorable Quorn 

 mastership, declined him at 120 guineas, on account 

 of his being curby. Within a few days Mr. Payne, 

 of Market Harboro', purchased him as an untried 

 hunter, after a little consideration for 150/. but sold 

 him in less than a fortnight to Mr. Pochin, of Barkby 

 Hall, for 200 guineas. The horse then put out a 

 curb, and Mr. Payne bought him back at 150/., 

 and let Mr. Quartermaine have him at 170/. He 

 then threw aside his old name of Magnum Bonum, 

 took that of Discount, and entered on public life. It 

 has perhaps never before fallen to the lot of any 

 man to have picked up two horses like Discount and 

 Fire-King, and so close on each other; and December, 

 whom he sold the same autumn for 200 guineas, to 

 Mr. William Coke, was also a first-rate performer. 

 Discount's triplet of steeple-chases at Liverpool, 

 Worcester, and Coventry, soon caused 1000 guineas 

 to be refused for him, and he was sold at Tattersall's, 



