His eyes were everywhere, and particularly did their glance follow the big check suit worn by Alec Booth as this individual, uneasy and excited, wandered from place to place, from paddock to lawn, from lawn to stand, in fretful uneasiness.
* * * * *
The following account is taken from the Evening Times—
“The preliminary events of the day caused little excitement. All minds were eager for the big event. The favourite, Revolver, hardened, if anything, in the betting, as the eventful moment drew nigh, and his name was buzzed about on every hand; but the second string of the public, the mare Bertha, was not lacking in friends. Seven to one was readily snapped up by the backers of the filly, and a whole lot of outsiders had a small following. But as far as the bulk of public money was concerned, the race was reduced to a match between Revolver and Bertha.
“At the very last moment there was a hasty rush on The Vengeance, a colt never before mentioned prominently in the betting.
“At last they faced the starter. One, two, three breaks away, and then the almost perfect silence was dissipated by a great roar from the crowd as the flag flashed down to a magnificent start.
“They are off!
“Up the straight it is hard to separate them. They are a moving mass of colour and horseflesh. Passing the stand Country Boy, taking advantage of his light impost, shows the way, but not for long. At the tan crossing Isabel shot to the front, and already the field is beginning to spread out. The favourite, going easily, can be seen well in the van, with Bertha and The Vengeance in close attendance. At Oxenham’s Isabel came back to her field, and here Bertha shot to the front. She was pulling hard and fighting for her head with her jockey. In the end he seemed powerless to restrain her, for she came away like a shot from a gun, leaving her field standing. There was a great shout from the ring—‘Bertha’s beat!’ ‘She’s bolted!’ ‘Twenty to one Bertha!’ ‘Forty to one Bertha!’ But there were no takers.
“In the meantime the field was creeping up. Opposite the stand fifty yards separated Isabel (now second in command) from Bertha, Revolver, at her girths, third, and Country Boy fourth, the rest of the field in a pack. The pace so far was a cracker, and at the rising ground already quenched the hopes of the backers of most of the outsiders, who tailed off like a procession. At the five-furlong post Bertha still led, and at the half-mile the struggle commenced in earnest. Isabel here melted away, and was seen no more in the front division. Country Boy once again flattered his admirers, and led a gallant, stern chase after the errant Bertha. Here Double Dutchman came out from the ruck, and showed the way to a whole host so far considered his betters. At the half-furlong the whip was drawn on Revolver, who, responding gamely, drew up to within a length of Bertha. A cry went up, ‘The favourite wins!’ but it died away, as did the horse named, in the next hundred yards.
“Now the supporters of Bertha found voice, and there were loud cries of her name. At the home turn Double Dutchman came on like an express, but Bertha still led, though evidently nearly done. At the half-distance a new champion appeared on the scene, as though fallen from the clouds. The black colt, The Vengeance, coming with a wet sail, passed everything on the course like so many mile-stones. In the straight he fairly caught the flagging Bertha, and there was a roar from Israel as though they had just sighted the Promised Land.