”Yes，Ihavehisassurance，”saidtheColonel，withashrugofhisshoulders。”Ishouldprefertohavethehorse。”Iwasabouttomakesomereplyindefenceofmyfriendwhenheenteredtheroomagain。”Now，gentlemen，”saidhe，”IamquitereadyforTavistock。”
　　Aswesteppedintothecarriageoneofthestable-ladsheldthedooropenforus。AsuddenideaseemedtooccurtoHolmes，forheleanedforwardandtouchedtheladuponthesleeve。”Youhaveafewsheepinthepaddock，”hesaid。”Whoattendstothem?””Ido，sir。””Haveyounoticedanythingamisswiththemoflate?””Well，sir，notofmuchaccount；butthreeofthemhavegonelame，sir。”
　　IcouldseethatHolmeswasextremelypleased，forhechuckledandrubbedhishandstogether。”Alongshot，Watson；averylongshot，”saidhe，pinchingmyarm。”Gregory，letmerecommendtoyourattentionthissingularepidemicamongthesheep。
　　Driveon，coachman！”
　　ColonelRossstillworeanexpressionwhichshowedthepooropinionwhichhehadformedofmycompanion’sability，butIsawbytheInspector’sfacethathisattentionhadbeenkeenlyaroused。”Youconsiderthattobeimportant?”heasked。”Exceedinglyso。””Isthereanypointtowhichyouwouldwishtodrawmyattention?””Tothecuriousincidentofthedoginthenight-time。””Thedogdidnothinginthenight-time。””Thatwasthecuriousincident，”remarkedSherlockHolmes。
　　FourdayslaterHolmesandIwereagaininthetrain，boundforWinchestertoseetheracefortheWessexCup。ColonelRossmetusbyappointmentoutsidethestation，andwedroveinhisdragtothecoursebeyondthetown。Hisfacewasgrave，andhismannerwascoldintheextreme。”Ihaveseennothingofmyhorse，”saidhe。”Isupposethatyouwouldknowhimwhenyousawhim?”
　　askedHolmes。
　　TheColonelwasveryangry。”Ihavebeenontheturffortwentyyears，andneverwasaskedsuchaquestionasthatbefore，”saidhe。”AchildwouldknowSilverBlaze，withhiswhiteforeheadandhismottledoff-foreleg。””Howisthebetting?””Well，thatisthecuriouspartofit。Youcouldhavegotfifteentooneyesterday，butthepricehasbecomeshorterandshorter，untilyoucanhardlygetthreetoonenow。””Hum！”saidHolmes。”Somebodyknowssomething，thatisclear。”
　　AsthedragdrewupintheenclosurenearthegrandstandIglancedatthecardtoseetheentries。
　　WessexPlate[itran]50sovseachhftwith1000sovsaddedforfourandfiveyearolds。Second，L300。
　　Third，L200。Newcourseonemileandfivefurlongs。
　　Mr。HeathNewton’sTheNegro。Redcap。Cinnamonjacket。
　　ColonelWardlaw’sPugilist。Pinkcap。Blueandblackjacket。
　　LordBackwater’sDesborough。Yellowcapandsleeves。
　　ColonelRoss’sSilverBlaze。Blackcap。Redjacket。
　　DukeofBalmoral’sIris。Yellowandblackstripes。
　　LordSingleford’sRasper。Purplecap。Blacksleeves。”Wescratchedourotherone，andputallhopesonyourword，”saidtheColonel。”Why，whatisthat?SilverBlazefavorite?””FivetofouragainstSilverBlaze！”roaredthering。”FivetofouragainstSilverBlaze！FivetofifteenagainstDesborough！Fivetofouronthefield！””Therearethenumbersup，”Icried。”Theyareallsixthere。””Allsixthere?Thenmyhorseisrunning，”criedtheColonelingreatagitation。”ButIdon’tseehim。Mycolorshavenotpassed。””Onlyfivehavepassed。Thismustbehe。”
　　AsIspokeapowerfulbayhorsesweptoutfromtheweightingenclosureandcanteredpastus，bearingonitbackthewell-knownblackandredoftheColonel。”That’snotmyhorse，”criedtheowner。”Thatbeasthasnotawhitehairuponitsbody。Whatisthisthatyouhavedone，Mr。Holmes?””Well，well，letusseehowhegetson，”saidmyfriend，imperturbably。Forafewminuteshegazedthroughmyfield-glass。”Capital！Anexcellentstart！”hecriedsuddenly。”Theretheyare，comingroundthecurve！”
　　Fromourdragwehadasuperbviewastheycameupthestraight。Thesixhorsesweresoclosetogetherthatacarpetcouldhavecoveredthem，buthalfwayuptheyellowoftheMapletonstableshowedtothefront。
　　Beforetheyreachedus，however，Desborough’sboltwasshot，andtheColonel’shorse，comingawaywitharush，passedthepostagoodsixlengthsbeforeitsrival，theDukeofBalmoral’sIrismakingabadthird。”It’smyrace，anyhow，”gaspedtheColonel，passinghishandoverhiseyes。”IconfessthatIcanmakeneitherheadnortailofit。Don’tyouthinkthatyouhavekeptupyourmysterylongenough，Mr。Holmes?””Certainly，Colonel，youshallknoweverything。Letusallgoroundandhavealookatthehorsetogether。
　　Hereheis，”hecontinued，aswemadeourwayintotheweighingenclosure，whereonlyownersandtheirfriendsfindadmittance。”Youhaveonlytowashhisfaceandhisleginspiritsofwine，andyouwillfindthatheisthesameoldSilverBlazeasever。””Youtakemybreathaway！””Ifoundhiminthehandsofafakir，andtookthelibertyofrunninghimjustashewassentover。””Mydearsir，youhavedonewonders。Thehorselooksveryfitandwell。Itneverwentbetterinitslife。
　　Ioweyouathousandapologiesforhavingdoubtedyourability。Youhavedonemeagreatservicebyrecoveringmyhorse。YouwoulddomeagreaterstillifyoucouldlayyourhandsonthemurdererofJohnStraker。””Ihavedoneso，”saidHolmesquietly。
　　TheColonelandIstaredathiminamazement。”Youhavegothim！Whereishe，then?””Heishere。””Here！Where?””Inmycompanyatthepresentmoment。”
　　TheColonelflushedangrily。”IquiterecognizethatIamunderobligationstoyou，Mr。Holmes，”saidhe，”butImustregardwhatyouhavejustsaidaseitheraverybadjokeoraninsult。”
　　SherlockHolmeslaughed。”IassureyouthatIhavenotassociatedyouwiththecrime，Colonel，”saidhe。”Therealmurdererisstandingimmediatelybehindyou。”Hesteppedpastandlaidhishandupontheglossyneckofthethoroughbred。”Thehorse！”criedboththeColonelandmyself。”Yes，thehorse。AnditmaylessenhisguiltifIsaythatitwasdoneinself-defence，andthatJohnStrakerwasamanwhowasentirelyunworthyofyourconfidence。Buttheregoesthebell，andasIstandtowinalittleonthisnextrace，Ishalldeferalengthyexplanationuntilamorefittingtime。”
　　WehadthecornerofaPullmancartoourselvesthateveningaswewhirledbacktoLondon，andIfancythatthejourneywasashortonetoColonelRossaswellastomyself，aswelistenedtoourcompanion’snarrativeoftheeventswhichhadoccurredattheDartmoortraining-stablesupontheMondaynight，andthemeansbywhichhehadunravelledthem。”Iconfess，”saidhe，”thatanytheorieswhichIhadformedfromthenewspaperreportswereentirelyerroneous。Andyettherewereindicationsthere，hadtheynotbeenoverlaidbyotherdetailswhichconcealedtheirtrueimport。IwenttoDevonshirewiththeconvictionthatFitzroySimpsonwasthetrueculprit，although，ofcourse，Isawthattheevidenceagainsthimwasbynomeanscomplete。ItwaswhileI
　　wasinthecarriage，justaswereachedthetrainer’shouse，thattheimmensesignificanceofthecurriedmuttonoccurredtome。YoumayrememberthatIwasdistrait，andremainedsittingafteryouhadallalighted。IwasmarvellinginmyownmindhowIcouldpossiblyhaveoverlookedsoobviousaclue。”