Barely does the same horse win both the
Derby and the St. Leger, and proud indeed is the owner who can carry off
the blue ribbon of the turf and the St. Leger too. The stars in their
courses seemed to be against Lord George at this time.
This is how Disraeli relates the effect the Derby had upon his hero:--
"A few days before, it was the day after the Derby, May 25th, 1848, the
writer (Disraeli) met Lord George Bentinck in the Library of the House
of Commons. He was standing before the book-shelves with a volume in his
hand, and his countenance was greatly disturbed. His resolutions in
favour of the colonial interest, after all his labours, had been
negatived by the committee on the 22nd, and on the 24th, his horse,
Surplice, which he had parted with among the rest of the stud, solely
that he might pursue without distraction his labours on behalf of the
great interests of the country, had won that paramount and Olympian
stake, to gain which had been the object of his life. He had nothing to
console him, and nothing to sustain him except his pride.
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