Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's ReignAshton, John
History
Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
On 23 May, the Derby was won by a horse called _Running Rein_, which was
the occasion of an Action in the Court of Exchequer, on 1 July, before
Baron Alderson. It was alleged that the horse had not been truly
described, that he was not of the age which qualified him to run for the
Derby, and that he ought not, therefore, to be deemed the winner of the
race. Colonel Peel, the owner of Orlando, the second horse, claimed the
stakes, on the ground that Running Rein was not the horse represented;
and Mr. Wood, the owner of Running Rein, brought this action against the
Colonel.
Mr. Cockburn, who conducted the plaintiff’s case, gave the pedigree of
Running Rein, and his whole history. Among other things, Mr. Cockburn
mentioned that, in October, 1843, Running Rein won a race at Newmarket;
that he was objected to on the score of age; but, eventually, the
stewards had decided in his favour. The horse was, originally, the
property of Mr. Goodman; and, Mr. Cockburn said, it was because suspicion
attached to some transactions of Goodman, and because certain persons had
betted heavily against Running Rein, that opposition was raised against
Mr. Wood receiving the stakes. He made a severe attack on Lord George
Bentinck, who, he asserted, was the real party in the cause. Witnesses
for the plaintiff described the horse at various periods of its career;
it was of a bay colour, with black legs, and a little white on the
forehead; its heels were cracked, and, in 1842, it broke the skin on one
leg, which left a scar. George Hitchcock, a breaker of colts, employed
to break Running Rein in October, 1842, was cross-examined to this
effect:
“I know George Dockeray, the trainer. I never said to him, ‘Damn it,
this colt has been broken before; here is the mark of the pad on his
back.’ I showed him the mark, but I never said those words, or any
words to that effect. I don’t know why I showed him the mark. It
was not big enough for the mark of a pad, and it was not the place
for the saddle to make it. I told Lord George Bentinck the same.
The mark of the pad never wears out. I recollect being asked, in the
presence of Mr. Smith, what I had there? and I recollect answering, a
four-year-old. I have not the slightest doubt of it. Mr. Smith
struck me for it. I did not say, afterwards, that I had forgotten
all about the horsewhipping, and that the marks of the pad had worn
out. I never said, either, that somebody had behaved very well to
me.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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