THE WRONG 'UN OF THE STABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 36

THE WRONG 'UN OF THE STABLE.

Shortly after the Cesarewitch ,of 1851 Mr Stirling Crawfurd's connection with Rogers's stable, wherein had been prepared a large number of successful bearers of the scarlet jacket, entirely ceased, and though people marvelled much, it was some time before the truth leaked out. A little while before the long-distance race, so the tale is told by an English writer, there had been a trial of Rogers's Cesarewitch oanand Mr Crawfurd's Darkie had won 'so easily that the owner backed his horse for £700 at good prices. In the handicap under notice was a six-year-old mare, Airs Taft, supposed to be crippled, and she was accordingly allotted 6st only, but though some of the clever division had been seen backing her at long shots, Mr Crawfurd did not fear the old 'un, who was trained in the same stable as Darkie — indeed, he had been told that she was not even worth putting in the trial his horEe had won. Under these circumstances it was a shock to see Mrs Taft win easily, while Darkie was never in the race. Then it instantly dawned upon the owner what a, nice game they had played with him. Darkie was not, of course, good enough, and the fact that the stable sheltered a better had been carefully kept from him. ,