"Never mind," said some knowing fellow, "he's a deal too fond of leading—he's a deal oftener seen leading than winning."
"There's little Larry—my! how sweet the mare went over the water. There's Brickbat in it;—no, he's out. He's an awkward beast. That's Thunderer—Holy Virgin, what a leap! He goes at everything as if there were twenty foot to cross, and a six foot wall in the middle."
"There's Playful at it again—he'll never get her round. Bad cess to you, you vixen—what made me bet on you? There, she's over—no she's not;—there's Diana—did you see Pat walk her through? Faith, she'd crawl up a steeple, and down the other side. There's Playful over—no, she's not;—right in the middle, by heavens!"
"And Bob under her—come away. My God, he'll be drowned!"
"Gracious glory! did you see that? He's up again;—d——n it but he dived under her; well, I never saw the like of that; she's out."
"And look, look! Bob's in the seat—you'll win your money now. Well, Bob Gayner, afther that you'll never live till you're drowned! Come away to the double ditch; that's where they'll show what they're made of—the mare'll be cooled now, and she'll run as easy as a coach-horse."
And the two rode away to the big fence mentioned, which consisted of a broad flat-topped bank between two wide dry ditches; while the horses went the round of the course over four or five intermediate banks.
"Here they come! there's Blake leading. What a stride that horse has! but you'll see he'll die away now. Larry's second—no, George is second, but Larry's well up."
"Faith, and he's been down too—he and the mare. There's Playful, how she pulls—where's Brickbat? now then!"
And the Galway horse came at the big fence—Blake pulling him off a little as he came to it, then stuck his spurs into his horse's flank—gave a lift at his head, and threw his left hand to the tree of the saddle. The horse gave a terrific leap on the bank—paused for a moment—and clearing the second ditch, came down safe on his legs with a shock that seemed to shake the field.