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, , * I • , 1 i : ! , I | I 1 I , I : KING GEORGES ACCOMPLISHED TRAINER. It falls to the lot of few men to be honored with the full roaBdeace of kings in anv walk of life. It is. therefore, an overwhelming tribute to llie great Worth of Richard Marsh that he should have lieen eh isea to train for the two nn.st popular kings that ever sat on the English throne, the late King Bdward VII. and his sou. King Merge V. I he long ami Barret iiul connection ot Marsh with some of our im.st noble owners prior to this had lifted 111 ill lor the post. To all lovers of I lie thor-. aaghhred, there roaM he no greater treat than to sec it in its home at the royal stables of Kgel- toii House. Here it can lie seen nt ils best, and one wonders at the marvellnis cleanliness of .i large a stable of animals from the paddock to the stall. The warm, snug Imxes are as bright anil snotle s as the neatest of human homes, the straw bedding is unstained, the brasses of the doors glitter in the sun. and the cimts of all the horses have the sheen of the ravens wings. Just now, of course, there are many difficulties to overcome, tor thfcrfe of the bggest and most trusted men of the establishment have gone to light for the King in another sphere. Taese include Marshs only son, Charlie. It is dittieult to overestimate the wi.-dom of King Georges dedaioa to continue racing throughout the war. and recognizing the vital importance of pure thoroughbreds tor the preaervattaa of a breed of horses Kuglaial alone could claim, his Majesty took a course wlrch did much to save them, and at the same time kept | .avcrty and distress from the homes of many thousands of his most loyal subjects. In these days it is rare and good to come across a real. true, old-fashioned Knglish training home, with everything Knglish —trainer, jockeys, men, lads, the horses, even to the domestic cat or the guinea pigs on the lawn, the pets of Marshs little daughter. Every thing goes on in the quiet, methodical way which means thorough order, and everyone seems supremely happy. ah!M the same hospitable welcome is extended to everyone as of yore. Such homes as these in the lacing world get scarcer year by year. Ib.w many foreign, trainers or of the rising generation will be able to pile up such a record as Dick Marsh has done since he set out in his long journey through the world just sixty-four years ago last New Years EveV Born at Sineeth, in the eawaty known as the garden of England, his father was a wealthy fanner and hop grower, and riding backwards and forwards to school on almost any sort Bf pony, and being a tioy of wonderful c. urage. he learned to love riding aUive all else, and naturally I.e. aim- a tine horseman at an early age. By the time he was thirteen lie could lid* anything. He won live pony race; in one day a I Folkestone at that age. Entering Sain Peeves" stables he was scon given his chance, and he won his tlrst race in public on Maurice at Dover, run ning away. Delay picked him up at ence. and Unequally astute Captain Maehell secured him at the first ot poitunity. I nfoituuately. rapidly iacieas ing weight cut his career sherr on the Hal. rheagh he won many good races, including the New Stakes at Ascot on Temple. As a steeplechase rider he feared nothing: acei-ilents with broken hnaca did not trouble him a tiit. and he would ride anything he was asked to a . On one occasion he rode in a steeplechase a horse that had never seen a fence, and I»y crowding it in amongst others managed to get over a good man.v of the fences Or through them, though finally the inevitable expected came off. Riding horses in hurdle races that had never seen a hurdie before frequently fell to his lot, but his courage soon gained substantial recognition, and a great will on that go. d mare The Nun in the Selton Steeple-Hhase at Liverpotd gave him a start which proved but the first stt p of a long and great career. At the early age of twenty -one he began training for the Messrs. Raltazzi and Captain DOrsny. Quickly he proved hs ability by winning nearly every steeplechase and hurdle race of importance in England and France for those gentlemen, and for his much-cherished employer, the late Duke of Hamilton. Among the best he trained and rode in those days wen- Jackal. Furley, laeha. Marc Antony. Jarnac. The Bear. Scot Guard. Thirntield. Bolero. Serge 1L. Mariner Captain. Royal Meath and Cloister, which won the Grand National, in which also Jackal and Thorntie.d were placed. The last-named was the property of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, and he was the last le-rse Marsh rode over hardies or country. Witli the Marquis of Ilnrtiiigton. Lord Dudley, and the late Mr. Breder-ick Cloete joining the Duke of Hamilton. Marshs Hat race string grew to such proportions that the capacity of Lordship Finn, where he then resided, was taxed to tlie utmost, and bis time was too much occupied for further adventures over a country. During the twenty years he resided at Lordship Farm, where his old friend and contemporary Joe Cannon now lives, he won every race of laaaartaare, with the exception of the Derby, which was only delayed for a few years. The Two Thousand he lirst won with Paradox, which was onlv beaten for the Derby by Melton by the shortest of beads. The One Thousand ami Oaks he wen wit* Miss JiuiMiiy. ami the St. l.eger with Ossian for the Duke of Hainillon. the Grand Prixe de Paris with Paradox for Mr. Bioderick Clcete. two Go.kIwooiI Cups with Madame ilu Barry and Iri.lav. and the Ascot Cup with Morion for the Marquis of Ilart-ington. With this horse he had won the lioyal Hunt Cup the previous year, and early in his career he also won that race with ILpblooni and Stratherii. with the latter of which he also won the New Stakes. The Stewards Cup at G-odwood he won three times in succession with .Marvel twieel and 1nieorn, and I think he also trained Midlothan earlier oa. Others to do him good service in those early days were Mon Droit, Hernia, Cereaa mid BaatMBaar. Marsh, who had charge of Persimmon when the son of St. Simon won the Derby for King Edward when Prince of Wales, continued to train for him after be ascended the thnme. King Edward ran only in the highest class at the highest meetings, and more often than not for races in which his representatives had no gliost of a chance. Marsh, however, won so many good races with bad horses through supcrh-rity of condition that His Majestys policy of retaining his old trainer proved right, as the wonderful records will show. I must |Kist-pone comment on the huge frame which covers an raarjaoaa wall just inside the |M rtals of the stable oiiadrangle. showing a well-set plate of each r the 514 winners sent out from F.g.rton House alone since Marsh Ix-gan to train there for King Edward. and also a description of the horses now in training for King George. The idctures which adorn the walls, and tile mementoes of the chief events which mark the progress of Marshs Bfe, would make a long chapter. — "Warren Hill" in Lmdon Sporting Life.
