288 THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF. 



them at various periods at the top of the odds, nor did 

 they find out their mistake till it was too late to save 

 themselves.' 



There is little that is of much interest to chronicle 

 about the runniuj^ of the race. Frederick, it was soon 

 made obvious to all the lookers-on, had the race at his 

 mercy from the start. When this fact dawned on the 

 spectators it tilled them with consternation ; very few 

 indeed had thought it at all probable that Frederick 

 would win the Derby. Forth, his trainer and rider, 

 was early of opinion that he had in his stable the 

 winning horse, and when he tried Frederick and found 

 he could beat Exquisite, he felt pretty sure of victor3^ 

 His original intention was to ride Exquisite himself, 

 but after the trial he chauGfed his mind, and elected to 

 ride the winner, putting up young Buckle on the 

 second horse. Frederick only won by a head ; but it 

 was quite clear to all that his veteran jockey might 

 liave taken the race by a lengr-h, or even two lengths, 

 if he had pleased. His jockeyship was excellent all 

 the way, displaying thorough knov.dodge of the temper 

 of his horse ; in short-, his intrepidity and coolness 

 durinfi" the race were remarkable, and the belief he 

 entertained of the ability of his horse to win was shown 

 in the fact of his having backed him to win twenty 

 thousand pounds ! Nearly every betting man, as the 

 saying goes, was ' on ' Patron (winner of the Two 

 Thousand) in the end, which caused the short odds of 

 G to 5 to be accepted, and as a rule the betting public 

 lost heavily by the victory of the outsider. The two 

 placed horses were Mr. Gratwicke's bl. c. Frederick, by 

 Little John, dam by Phantom, ridden by John Forth ; 



