"Very; it is strange she has not married."
"Perhaps she is waiting until Mr. Chesney asks her."
"Pity he can't make up his mind," said Harry, smiling.
"You think he'll win, Fred?" said Alan to his trainer.
"Haven't much doubt about it; here's Tommy, ask him," was the reply.
Tommy Colley was Alan's jockey. He came up wearing the brown jacket, with blue sleeves and cap—the Chesney colors. He was one of the old school, rode with longer stirrups than the modern jockeys, although he had in a measure conformed to the crouching seat. Alan's friends wondered why he stuck to Tommy, some of them considered he was getting past it, but Alan had a knack of keeping to old hands who had done him good service. In business this caused many a split with the manager, Duncan Fraser.
"Like his chance, Tommy?" asked Alan, looking at Robin.
"Very much. I rode him in his gallop, he ought to win; and that filly of yours is a hummer," said the jockey enthusiastically.
"And The Duke?"
"Good, but Evelyn and Robin Hood are better."