It was in the Palace House at Newmarket, Lord William made this Brag and Reputation match; where Mr. Leopold de Rothschild always entertained both King Edward and our present King. It is an unpretentious looking abode but very historic, and was the Newmarket house of Charles II.
The newly purchased horses arrived safely in India on July 30th, 1883. But now more bad luck attended poor Lord William, for while riding at Cawnpore in the Gangees Cup he broke his collarbone, and hardly had he recovered from this than, in a jumping Competition at Simla, he dislocated his shoulder and was not able to enjoy the Dehra Autumn meeting.
When once a shoulder has been dislocated it forms a fondness for the amusement and continues to do it with slight provocation. Lord William says it happened once through sneezing!
Though unable to attend the Dehra Meeting, his stable was represented, an Australian named The Mute won the Trials, Action won the Gimcrack Stakes and Johnnie the Hack race. Later at Meerut, Lord William was well enough to ride, and on a horse purchased from the circus proprietor, John Wilson, won the Maiden Chase. At Umballa riding Johnnie he was triumphant in the Grand Military Steeplechase, but got a toss in the Grand Annual when riding Jack the circus horse, but he remounted and finished the race. On the last day of the Umballa meeting he grew annoyed at the weight his horses had to carry and refused to start any one of them, declaring he was sick of racing, and meant to “give it up, and go in for Botany or Erotics.”
In spite of this heroic resolve the following month he was riding at Lahore.
The Calcutta 1883-4 first cold weather meeting, Lord William had a walk over for the Monsoon Welter Cup. At the second meeting Syndicate won the Hooghly Plate, but had only one opponent. In March, Diamond won the Corinthian Stakes, and Caspian the Sirhind Plate. Lord William thought a good deal of an Arab they—he and his partner—owned, named Reformer, and he sent it to England to run at Newmarket in the Arab races, but the poor beast died in the Red Sea.
In June, the first and second day’s racing at Simla saw Lord William without a winning mount.
Though Lord Ripon’s time was comparatively free from political anxieties he had a number of guests to stay with him all to be amused and catered for, this provided food for thought on the Military Secretary’s part, who was ceaseless in his endeavours, but the hard work of that and the constant strain of his racing engagements was beginning to tell on Lord Bill, and he began to look as if a journey home for a while would be good for him.
Only those who understand racing know the amount of thought and care it requires to be successful, even with luck in their favour. To begin at the beginning, money is not made out of the stakes that are won, expenses generally throw the balance into the wrong side, therefore it is betting must do it, and we know Lord William did make a good deal of money over his racing, but it was thanks to his own cleverness. To be successful it must be studied as a business; there are many elements to be taken into consideration and reckoned with, it is really a vast study. Jockeys have to be chosen and retained. Trainers found who give satisfaction and understand their work. Races looked up to suit the horses in the stable, and horses bought to suit the big-plum races all are keen on winning, and after all these considerations how often things go awry.
