All you can say is, honesty is honesty
everywhere, and you will find a good deal of it on the turf, if you
know where to look for it; and its value is in proportion to its
quantity. The moment you depart a hair's-breadth from its immaculate
principle there is no medium state between that and roguery.
However, be that as it may, I was once the owner of a pedigree
thoroughbred called Dreadnought, which was presented to me when
a colt. Dreadnought's dam Collingwood was by Muley Moloch out of
Barbelle. Dreadnought was good for nothing as a racer, and had broken
down in training. As a castaway he was offered to me, and I gladly
accepted the present.
As he was too young to work, I sent him down to ---- Park, to be kept
till he was fit for use. He was there for a considerable time, and was
then sent back in a neglected and miserable condition.
I rode him for some time, until one day he took me to Richmond Park,
and on going up the hill fell and cut both his knees to pieces and
mine as well. This was a sad mishap, and, of course, I could have no
further confidence in poor Dreadnought, fond of him as I was; so he
was placed under the care of a skilful veterinary surgeon, who gave
him every attention. His bill was by no means heavy, and he brought
him quite round again.
In the course of time he acquired a respectable appearance, although
his broken knees, to say nothing of his "past," prevented his becoming
valuable so far as I was concerned.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80