146 THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF. 



prudent afterwards hedging- when his victory in the 

 Two Thousand had brought him to short odds. At 

 one time in the course of the winter preceding the 

 Derby ' any odds ' might have been obtained against 

 Gladiateur. A London wine-merchant, or rather 

 'gigantic pubhcan,' founded his future on a triple- 

 event bet, laid him by a bookmaker who frequented 

 his pailour, against the French horse winning the 

 three classic races. The bet laid was £2,400 to a case 

 of champagne, and was duly paid on the Saturday 

 following the St. Leger, the wine being consumed 

 along with a huge pile of anchovy toast at the same 

 time. When the bet was made it was thouglit the 

 French horse would prove to be an impostor ; and Lid- 

 dington was first favourite for both races, wliile 

 Broomielaw and Breadalbane, for which Mr. Chaplin 

 gave £11,000, were each quoted at short prices, the 

 former at 8 to 1 for the Guineas, the latter at the 

 same figure for the Derby. 



The following account of the race is from the pen 

 of a competent turf-reporter who was present at 

 Epsom on the occasion : After fully half an ho.ur 

 had been expended in several breaks-away, the flag 

 at length fell at a favourable moment, so that a good 

 beginning was ensured. It is hardly necessary per- 

 haps to say that all had been on the tiptoe of expec- 

 tation, some, indeed, on the rack, during the five or six 

 false starts that had taken place. Popular feeling, in 

 fact, was at white heat, the vast concourse of spectators 

 who were looking on seeming to have but one heart 

 and one head. The starter, whose every movement 

 "was keenly watched and criticised, had evidently re- 



