Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-01

upon ~ carry lO IHOIC IMAM SSNSH SIOIlc
two, and soon had the satisfaction of
seeing the name of my horse figuring in
the latest betting prsty figure
she was at too-SO to l. 1t nd not APP
pear us though the professionals thought
much OF her chance. Still somebody
must have backed her.
1t soon TRANSFERRED that two or three
of our fellows had done so, whereat
groaned in spirit, remembering the
colonel S misgivings. Feeling sure they
had done this foolish thing merely from
esprit de corps, | went to Phipps and
Dalrymple and offered to take their
bets off their hands, representing that
tho management of tho mare was not
Il my hands. and that it might LIE
deemed advisable TO scratch her at the
last moment, as had been done once be-
fore But they only laughed at me,
saying did not like being forestalled,
and so on. must say that was much
surprised, when | told Natty about it,
Ia hear that he had backed the mare,
too 1t the same odds.
~ don't often bet, )" he said, but
couldn't resist the price, so put on my
modest tenner, and | advise you to do
the same.
But this | absolutely refused to Go.
| had determined, when | began to run
the mare. that | would never back her,
and to thaS prudent resolution would
adhere.
You think she will win them
inquired incredulously.
Il don't say that. The Cesarewitch
takes IA lot of running but there Is
nothing in my opinion better in, and
she will stay the course, (which is more
than half of them will if the pace is
anything like so good as it usually is.
Don't he alarmed about your friends.
They cant have put much on the mare
or she'd have gone to IA shorter price.
But this did not happen, and l am
not aware of any one else having backed
her
AS may be imagined, | took more in
terest in this race than in any of the
others and applied for IL few days leave
to go and see it run. 1t was very sell
dom that | went to races. Not that |
had any objection to horse racing
think it the finest of all sports, and that
wholesome national amusemCnt-bu
as things are at present, one has to wade
through such sea of rascality before
he can so much as catch glimpse of Il
race horse 8 tail that | have never con
sidered the game at all worth the can
die
As the time drew near | paid some
attention to tho sporting intelligence
and "sclcctions' for various events in
the papers. With one cNccption-The
Licensed NiCtualler's Gazette - the
chances of my representative We're en-
tirely ignored. while the candid opin-
ion of that organ was that Skit1lrs, how
ever lightly weighted, would find her
self outclasscd i'll such company. This
was the reverse of encouraging. especi-
ally as it conceded With my own pri-
vate conviction. What surprised me
was the wonderful unanimity of these
tipsttrs. They all pinned their faith
on Il horse named Alcester, while Il few
thought Corkjacket might have
chance. but all mentioned Alcestcr save
The Field, which pumped for Phara-
mOnd. the winner of the Derby for the
preceding year, and generally consid-
cred to be the best horse in training at
that time. Alcester was reported to
have been tried SO that he could not
lose. Natty told me afterward he
generally liked to have bet against Il
horse that was tried so highly as that,
though occasionally, he admitted, the
good thing did come oft.
met Natty in town, and after din
Il
comic opera at the Savoy we ran down
to Newmarket in good time next day.
The mare WAS there and filter. Nat de
clarcd, than he had ever seen her be
fore Pedometer had accompanied her,
but WAS not engaged in the same race,
q, miles being considered out of his
distance. But he cant lead her now
at no distance" Pcarce said. They
had Il nice gallop this morning, and the
mare pulled over him all the way
AS the hour for the race drew ON |
became quite nervous. 1t was cold and
dull on the Heath, and shivcred with
excitement inside my ulster. We saw
the race from the grand stand and had
Il capital view of the horses as they can
tered past 1t was IL large field, 23
coming to the post, and among them
some of the most famous animals on
the tart. There were besides the much
vaunted Alcestcr the magnificent Phar-
almond, supposed by the coSnoscenti to
be out of the race in consequence of the
weight he had to carry-nine stone;
GClasma. IL beautiful chestnut mare,
who had won the Oaks two years be-
fore; another handsome tilly, Bridal
Beauty, carrying the gorgeous violet
and crimson Of IL ceTtailItluchCSS; Cork
jacket who had beaten Skittles so hand
somely in the City and Suburban, but
now had to give her more than stone,
and host of other celebrities and non
entities, among the latter my own
mare in the dark blue and gold belt
Though less good looking than some she
went by in beautiful style, with light,
corky action and Quickness of stride
that attracted some attention, for pale
and effeminate yet aristocratic looking
youth below me exclaimed: {" Cad, that's
a fine mover! What is it?' and he con-
suited his race card to see. After which
he whispered a word to man beside
him, who responded. Thirty to one, my
lord, " and left the stand at nod from
the other.
cannot describe the race, for saw
so little of it, though l discerned once
with my race glass when the horses
were at a great distance from us that
Skittles was lying we'll up, with the
black and red tartan of Pharamond
close behind her, and then had to wait
for the finish.
After what seemed an interminable
time, but was really only few min
H.
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