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i . • i t I L . . I , , ■ 1 1 I i LORD CHAPLIN STILL ALIVE . Hermits Owner, at Eighty, Hale and Hearty and Keen on Racing. LONDON. Kngland. March 1. It is only a few weeks ago that Lord Chaplin celebrated his eightieth birthday. He is hale and heatty. an extremely rich man and still keenly interested in racing. He is still also the "Squire of Blankney," as he was when one of the great figures in Knglish racing as Henry Chaplin, the bookmakers eneuiy. and one of the shrewdest judges of a horse in the kingdom. Lord Chaplin award Hermit when he won the "Blue Ribbon of the Turf" by a neck from Mr. Merrys Marksman, the race being run after a snowstorm, some fifty-four and half years ago. According to records the success of Hermit made his owue- 00,- uo » the richer, but at the same tune it is also said the Marquise of Hastings lost as much over the race. Viseount Chaplin vias elected a member of the lackey Claa la 18»i4, the same year that the late King F.duard joined the Jockey Club, and the only older member than Viscount Chaplin is the Karl of Coventry, who was elected in IMift. A few years ago. when recalling memories of Hermits victory. Viscount Chaplin wrote: "Snow fell while saddling was proceeding in the paddock. Bat then- was none when the race was run. There is no question that it was in ninny r-speetn th - most remarkable Derby th it was ever run A fortnight before the race Hermit broke a blood ! vessel and he remained in the stable with his j head tied up for forty-eight hours. He was one of three considered to he in the running. "For some reason which I could never quite understand there was a dead set against Hermit. Before the accident he was at 100 to 1. Enormous sums of money were laid against him. So critical was the position at one time that Rloss, uiy trainer. who was a dear and most honest old fellow, slept on an iron bedstead in the horses box every night for three months before the race. The bedstead is still preserved. 1 d:d not know of what Rloss had done until after the race, and I was so delighted with his devotion that I gave him u check for I 5,000 on the morning after the race."
