WILTS AND HORSES 325 



was glad to extend my knowledge of the company 

 by being Introduced to some splendid Irish-bred 

 two-year-olds. Drumcree was hospitably at 

 home, staid and friendly. If anyone takes on the 

 job of doing horses — I do not mean strapping 

 them, but the Special Commissioner business — 

 at so much per head, he ought to get extra pay 

 for John M.P. Every time I see John M.P. he 

 appears to have added a cubit to his length. A 

 more tractable, docile, pleasant old party, intelli- 

 gent v^^ithal, you will not meet, nor follow, in a 

 day's march, no matter how far you go. John 

 gives the impression of knowing it all the time 

 and being quite satisfied with things as they are. 

 John M.P. is a national favourite — I am not 

 writing now of the great steeplechase, with a 

 capital N. My reference is to his being held in 

 estimation by the English racing world, as are 

 and have been few horses whose catching on to 

 people's affections is frequently in the first place 

 accidental. Bendigo's sensational Cambridge- 

 shire put him where he was for ever afterwards. 

 Mr Tom Worton's Victor Wild somehow attracted 

 kind regard, and held it throughout. I swear 

 that Victor bowed to the house when given a 

 hand as he went to the post. Sceptre — why, 

 those who won when she got beaten were sorry 

 for Sceptre ; and as to Pretty Polly, if a general 

 subscription would save her from bad luck the 

 money would be there. Then look at Manifesto. 

 Every man and woman at Aintree on a National 

 day wanted to pet the Grand Old Man of 'chasing. 

 Other horses might be all very well in their way, 

 but Short — meaning Long, for he was wonder- 

 fully lengthy — Manifesto was the friend. As for 

 the Silent Member who made so much noise — 



