CHAPTER II. THE COLT TAKES HIS FINAL GALLOP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1872, 5 July 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 11. THE COLT TAKES HIS FINAL GALLOP.

Near the pleasant village of Leatherhead, within an easy distance oi the Epsom Downs, were the stpbks and paddocks of the ccletnated trainer, Knight — " Old Jack Knight," as he was familiarly styled by the public, who appreciated the somewhat uncommon honesty which had marked his long career as a trainer of racehorses. The fact that a horse was in Knight's handa v/as deemed sufficient assurance that there would be an absence of any of those rascally tricks by which favoritos are got at and backers swindled. As in other callings, Knight had found honeaty the best policy in the long run ; and when once a racehorse was handed over to him for preparation, he allowed no interference on the part of owner or anyone el3e. " The 'oss belongs to me till the starter's flag drops. Then I've done my best, and if the 'oss don't do hisin, 'taint Jack Knight's fault." Such were his terms before engaging to train any animal, and he adhered to them manfully. It was in the hands of this Bayard of the turf that Frederick Falkland had placed his colt Raleigh, gicatly against the wish of Edmonds. But in this matter Falkland had been guided by the advice of the animal's breeder, from whom he made the purchase. This individual, a canny Yorkshheman, after pocketing the very satisfactory cheque which concluded tht> transaction, had delivered himself as follows : — " Thank ye, sir, you're a gentleman worth doing business with ; no haggling qr bating about you. And you've got a rare bit of stuff in the colt— by Flying Dutchman out of Songstress, Darby and Oaks winners— and as handsome a colt rising two as ever looked through a bridle. You've bought him with his engagements, and he's in the Darby and Leger of this year. Take my advice, sir; you're new on the tuif, and don't know its ways. Hand the colt over to Old Jack Knight, at Leatherhead, tell him to try his be3t for tho Darby next year with him, and you'll do right. You see, there are two particular chances against any nag engaged in the Darby winning it." "And what are they?" Falkland asked, amused at the oraoular air of the northcountryman. "Fust," was the reply, "the rules of the race— the Darby, you know, which says, 'Any horse whose nominator shalldie before the race shall be disqualified from starting in consequence.' So you see, sir, as the colt waa nominated as a yearling by me, as his breeder, in my own name, if I was to die before three o'clock on the twenty-eighth of May, 1858, which is the hour -and day fixed for the start, the colt would be disqualified." "You look good enough to laßt another year or two," Falkland answered, with a smile, as he surveyed the broad frame and ruddy glow in the cheeks of -tho stalwart old yeoman. " Oh, ay," was the reply, " that's true enough, but still it is a chance. But the worst danger is that of his being got at. If you was one of our Yorkshire gentlemen, now, I should say send him io Whitewall, where John Scott would take proper care of him. Bat seeing you live in the south, I say let Jack Knight, of Lefttherheadf Surrey, Have

him; and, bar sickness or accidents, which can't be helped, you'll have a equare run for your money." Falkland at once promised to be guided by the honest old fellow's advice; and Edmonds, finding him in earnest, ceased to object. It was to see this colt that Falkland and Edmonds went down to Leatherhead, Walking through the village for about a mile, they reached a long range of buildings, at the back of which stretched a large paddock, surrounded by a quickset hedge of good height and impervious thickness. Round this paddock a tan gallop, kept in capital order, had been laid down ; and, as Falkland and his friend entered the paddock, several racehorses were exercising on the flat. " Good day, gentlemen," said Knight, the trainer, walking up to them. " Just giving the babies a bit of schooling till you came." The celebrated tiainer was a little, wirylooking man, with that peculiar conformation of the legs resulting from early and constant acquaintance with the saddle. His little eyes, peering from under overhanging brows, gave a remarkably shrewd expression to his withered features. Turning from his visitors, ho called to the lads tf> " take in them two-year-olds," and then led the way to the stable, where, under lock and key, Falkland's Derby candidate stood in his box. " Caught a tout yesterday, we did," remarked old Knight, with much tho same expiession as the captor of a five trout would use. " Head lad George saw him at daybreak hidin' in the hedge yonder. Lord, how that chap did run, to be sure. Dogs beat him, though, hands down." " Did you set the dogs on him ? " exclaimed Falkland. " Rather," replied the old man. " Touts is fair game, ain't they ? I reckon he'H think more about 'osspitals than 'osses for a week or two." Here he paused at a door secured by an enormous padlock, which ho unfastened by a key attached to his watch-chain. Tho rattling of the lock was answered from the inside by the discordant baying of *a couple of savage dogs. "Stop here a bit, gents, till I shorten their chains," said Knight, unlocking an inner door a3 he spoke, .and closing it after him. This door was ornamented in a peculiar fashion. It was nearly covered with the running plates of racehorses, each of which served as a frame to a record of the achievements of the animal to which it had formerly belonged. A glanca at the names showed that Knight had reaped hia full share of laurels as a successful trainer. While Falkland was counting the plates, Knight returned. " Room for a few yet," he sa^d, with a chuckle. " I hopes we'll have a Darby winner there after next We'n'sday. Come in, gents, the dogs is safe." Entering the stable, they stood before a loobe box, on either side of which was a large kennel. From the mouth of each kennel protruded the head of an enormous mastiff, with bloodshot eyes and grinning fangs, boding facant mercy for any person bold enough to venture within their leach. The dog 3 were short on the chain, but the usual length allowed them enabled them to command the approach to the loose box. " Pietty pets, ain't they?" said their owner. " Lay down, my beauties. No bribing of they in a hurry, gents. Don't be afeard, they can't reach you." Stepping \ery gingerly past the animals, in spite of this assurance, Falkland and Edmonds entered the box, in which stood a horse, with his clothes on. These were speedily removed by Knight, who led the horse into the light. "There he is— a pietur', gents," exolaimed the old man, patting the colt's neck, while the intelligent animal rubbed his muzzle on his trainer's shoulder in a playful manner. " There he is — the sweetest-tempered 'oss as I ever trained. Never been sick or sorry a day .since I've had him, grubs like a halderman, and does his work like a kalk'latin' machine. Look him all over, and the more you looks the more you'll like him." Raleigh, the colt on which his owner's fortunes rested, was a low, lengthy bay, with black points. His beautiful, lean head, and large, expressive eye, was the very model of his sire's, the renowned Flying Dutchman ; while from the same quarter he inherited his grand barrel, and quarters so thick and muscular as almost to approach deformity. But the severe hill at the finish of the old Derby oourso was just the ground advantageous to horses so well furnished behind the saddle ; aad Edmonds, as he ran his eye over the colt's wonderful propelling power, mentally acknowledged it a pity that such a grand competitor was not to start. «' Take a look at him in front," said Knight, turning the horse round, and pointing to his deep chest, powerful arms, and sinewy, flat legs with pardonable pride. " Well ribbed up, fast as an express train, and heart enough to stay for a month." "The cot seems very fond of you," said Falkland. " I only hope he'll ba as amiable with the boy who has the mount — Oates iides him, I believe ? " "That's where it is," said the old man, laying his forefinger to his nose, with an air of great wisdom. " Just step this way, gents." He walked towards a pair of weighing scales as he spoke, pulled off his coat and waistcoat, and stood on the balance. " Just score the weight I pull, Mr. Falkland," he said. (To be Continued).