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, / t , . I i i I ; « • i i i • i ! l ] l J I i l ] I I ■ • • J • ■ ■ . , i 1 I - I i - . s, ii v n a • I , i, L i, j II „ ORMONDE THE MAGNIFICENT ♦ * Won Sixteen Races and 42,325 In Moderate Prize Days. ■- ♦ 1 Great Horse Beat All the English Cracks of Notable Year of Notable Racers. ■ a There is no such thing as unanimity on any of the numerous mundane matters that either insinuate tlnmsdves or ate dragged into the realm of controver-y. Maybe it is jusi ns well that this is so, for litis; peer old world of ours would be an uninteresting sort of place if everybody were of one mind on everything. At the same time, if racegoers of fairly long standing were asked tn.ir opinion as to the freatett race horse of modern times the vast majority would, it is tolerably safe to assert, give their vote in favor of Ormonde and without much hesitation at that, One has. however, no intention of eateftag into an argument as to the relative merits of tile triple crown hero of 1SKC and other renowned turf |.er-i oral era. It is ebvloaaly impossible to get a direct line — or I line of any kind, fur that mallei— of 1Tn form of totally distinct periods, but there is no gainsaying the fait I ha I Ormonde was a great horse, nnd It is sufficient for present purposes to deal with him as such. Ormonde, which was by Bend Or— Lily Agnes was foaled in 183. which year also wttaataad the birth of several other animals destined to make turf history. Among these were Minting, which was sue, essfnl in the whole of his five efforts as a two-year-old: The Bard, also unbe.it. m in his fii«t season, during which he won no fewer than sixteen races; St. Mirin and Saraband. And yet Ormonde was unqueationably the best if hat wonderful year, though the fact was not demons! rated to the salisfaciiim of all until the three-year old days of these celebrities. Ormonde did not make his debut ituil tiie Newmarket Second October meeting of 1883, 1 y wn.cli time Minting and The Bard had established big reputations. The Duke of Westminsters colt mace his first appearance in a post sweupstakes. in which he was opposed by Modwpna and Warbler, slight odds being laid on Modwena. Ormonde, hiwever, won by a length, while he subsequently easiy won the Criterion Stakes ami the Dewhuist Plate, this represent ing his first years efforts. BEAT ALL THE BEST IN 1886. The following year he experienced a nior» strenuous time, taking part in ten laces, nil cf which he won. His first essay was in 1 1 1 . - Two Thousand, in which he at last encountered Minting, in addition to Saraband, St. Mirin and others. Matthew Dawson, who trained Minting, regarded Mr. Yne!s colt as a champion — and there was no better judge of a horses abilities. The public, for the most part, subscribed ta Dawsons view and Minting was installed a good favorite, Saraband also being preferred to Ormonde. The last named, however, won eomfoilably by two length? from Minting, whose trainer was more than astonished, but he accepted the position, and Miming was not called upon to tackle the Kingsclere colt in the Derby, being, in-siead. deputed to run in the Grand Prix de Paris, which he had no difficulty in winning. The Bard, however, had a cut at Oimonde in tl.e Derby, and. like Minting, was well beaten. Fo!-I iwing this the son of Bend Or won the All-Aged Stakes and Hanlwicke Stakes at Ascot, in the latter event easily defeating Melton, the previous years Derby winner. His next miting was in he Si. Leper, which he won in a canter f r mi St. Sf ii in. His remaining successes that year wer. s-ored in the Great Foal Stakes and the Newmarket Bt. I-er at tiie first O.-iober meeting, the Champion Btabea and the Free Handicap, receiving forfeit in the private swcepslakes on the last day of the Boacbtoa meeting. By this time. ,.f i-nurse. the wonderful racing powers of Bend Ors tea were universally recognized and when he reappeared as a four-year-old in the Rous Memorial Stakes at As.-ot substantial odds were laid on his chance against Kilwatlin anil Agave, which odds were duly landed in the easiest fashion. Later in the year Kilwailin won the St. Leper from the Derby winner of the year. Merry Hampton. ORMONDE S GREAT WINNINGS. Twenty-four hours later Ormonde took part in the well-reateatbered Hanlwicke stakes, in which he was again opposed by Minting, while Bcndigo, one of the greatest handicap horses of any time, was also in ihe field. A splendid raee was witne-sed between the two first named. Ormonde finishing a Beck in front of his great rival, with Bcndigo well beaten. This race set t lie seal upon the reputation of Ormonde, which ran but once subsequently, when. with M to 1 laid on him, he defeated Whitefriar and Lovegold in the Imperial Gold Cup at one Of the July meetings at Newmarket. It was certainly unfortunate for Mr. Yyncr that Miming should have been foaled in the same year as the Duke of We-.tminsters colt, for that Minting was an animal well above the average admits of no douht. His victory in the Jubilee Stakes with 140 pounds in the saddle is sufficient evidence of his capabilities, to say nulling of his other achievements. In what may be termed an "ordinary" year lie would probably have swept the classic tioard. so to speak. What would he have done. say. with Mich a Derby winner as Merry Hampton, which happened to come along a year later? But, there it is; the season of lssfi was not an ordinary season. In all. Ormonde won sixteen races of the total value of 42 JBi — a substantial aggregate when it is noted that there were no "ten thousand-pounders" to help it along. Later he was sold for SCO.000 to Don Juan Bocau, who eventually transferred him to Mr. Macdonougii of San Francisco fur .10, 000, but he returned to England in 1H9X Ormonde did not obtain Ihe same success at the stud as on the track, but he sired at least one good colt in Orme. — "J. -..-.-. F. P." in ... .-, Sporting B Life. .
