01:43Last evening, Inspector Gregory of the Devonshire Constabulary arrested well-known racing personality Fitzroy Simpson
01:52and charged him with the murder of trainer John Straker.
01:56I'll come in.
01:59Two more telegrams, Mr. Holmes.
02:02Thank you, Mrs. Hudson.
02:04You've been bombarded with these the last couple of days.
02:06Another one from Inspector Gregory.
02:09And one from Colonel Ross.
02:10Ah, that's the horse's owner.
02:12Thank you, my dear.
02:15Watson, I have made a blunder, which I am afraid is a more common occurrence than anyone would think, who only knew me through your memoirs.
02:25But the fact is, is that I could not believe that so remarkable a horse as Silverblades could disappear.
02:31Especially in the seclusion of somewhere like the north of Dartmoor.
02:34From hour to hour, I've expected to hear that the abductor was the murder of John Straker and the horse had been found.
02:39But that doesn't seem to be the case.
02:40Well, I should be happy to go with you.
02:44Ah, Talistock.
02:46If I should not be in the way.
02:50Oh, my dear Watson.
02:52You would confer a great favour upon me by coming.
02:56I'm sure your time will not be misspent.
02:58The case promises to be absolutely unique.
03:01We can just catch our change in Paddington.
03:03But, Watson, would you be so kind as to bring your field glasses?
03:07Ha!
03:10Mrs. Watson, are off to Dartmoor!
03:18Ha!
03:36Ha!
03:37Ha!
03:37Ha!
03:37Ha!
03:38Ha!
03:38Ha!
03:39Ha!
03:39Ha!
03:40Ha!
03:40Ha!
03:40Tickets, please.
03:48Thank you, Inspector.
04:01Watson, we're going well.
04:04Our speed at present is 53 and a half miles an hour.
04:10I have not observed the quarter-mile posts.
04:14Nor have I.
04:16But the telegraph posts on this line are 60 yards apart.
04:21Calculation is a simple one.
04:30Has that remarkably coloured sporting paper anything to say on the subject of our horse?
04:35Oh.
04:37Yes.
04:38Yes.
04:40Here we are.
04:46Silver Blaze.
04:48Silver Blaze is from Isonomy stock.
04:51Isonomy.
04:52And holds as brilliant a record as his famous ancestor.
04:56He's now in his fifth year and has bought in turn each of the prizes of the turf to Colonel Ross's fortunate owner.
05:03At the time of the catastrophe, he was first favourite for the Wessex Cup.
05:09The odds quoted being two to one against.
05:12He's always been a prime favourite of the racing public and has never yet disappointed them.
05:18In spite of the unfavourable price, a great deal of money has been placed upon him.
05:23So it is obvious, therefore, that there are many people with the strongest interest in preventing Silver Blaze from being there at the fall of the flag.
05:33All right, please, will you stop here, please, because this is rather a good view.
05:49Now, that's King's Pyland over there, Mr. Holmes.
05:55You know, my training stable where the missing horse was kept.
05:57What exactly does your establishment consist of, Colonel Ross?
06:01Well, there's a trainer's house where poor Straker lived with his wife and a maidservant.
06:08How long had he been with you, sir?
06:10Oh, five years as a jockey, until he got too heavy for the weighing chair.
06:14Then, seven years as my trainer.
06:18He was a first-class man.
06:21And I presume the stables are beyond?
06:22Yes, it's not a big yard. It's a good one.
06:26My son is quality, not quantity.
06:29As anyone connected with the turf will tell you, Mr. Holmes.
06:31Yes, thank you, Inspector.
06:32You see, at the moment, I have only five horses in the yard.
06:37I see you have two of them entered for the Wessex Cup, Colonel Ross.
06:40That's right, yes. Yes, Silver Blaze and Bayard.
06:44But between ourselves, Bayard is intended for a pacemaker.
06:48Well, with such valuable animals under his charge, I imagine your trainer, Mr. Straker, must have taken some precaution.
06:54Oh, yes, indeed.
06:56Three stable lads live with the horses.
06:59And after dark, one of the lads was always on duty in the stables while the other two sleep above in loft.
07:06Is that another training stable over there?
07:09Yes, that's Mapleton.
07:11Lord Backwater's yard.
07:12Oh, Lord Backwater.
07:14Lord Backwater owns Desborough, the second favourite for the Wessex Cup.
07:18It's not a bad horse.
07:19Not in the same class as Silver Blaze.
07:21A fellow called Silas Brown trains for Backwater.
07:27I can't stick the fellow himself.
07:29Nor could Straker come to that.
07:32It's a natural rivalry, I presume.
07:34Rather more than that.
07:37Shall we drive on?
07:38Yes.
07:39All right, Baines.
07:45Inspector Gregory.
07:46Are there any further developments as to the whereabouts of the horse?
07:49Nothing at all.
07:51We have made very little progress in that direction.
07:54I can't imagine how a horse like Silver Blaze could go missing for so long in a place like this.
07:59Nor can I.
08:00I must tell you, Mr. Holmes, that at first I was not at all taken with Inspector Gregory's suggestion that you should be asked to come down here.
08:08Because I don't like amateurs, you see.
08:13Huh!
08:15But you did send me a telegram, Colonel.
08:17Well, no one else seems to be able to find my horse.
08:19If you ask me, it's these damned gypsies wandering all over the moor.
08:25It's a perfect scandal.
08:27I've said so for years.
08:28My men have seen every group of gypsies on Dartmoor in the last two days, Colonel.
08:33And searched every stable yard, quarry and cave in South Devon.
08:37It's an absolute mystery.
08:38It's an absolute mystery.
09:08I expect a miracle from you, Mr. Holmes.
09:31Inspector Gregory, my friends at Scotland Yard tell me that you're rapidly making a reputation for yourself in the English detective service.
09:37I'm a keen student of your methods, too, Mr. Holmes.
09:41I have the two principal witnesses waiting for you.
10:24in here mr. Holmes who are they? Edith Baxter the maid and Hunter the stable boy who was on duty on
10:43Monday night it was just a few minutes after nine o'clock sir I was carrying mr.
10:59hunter's supper across from the house but Baxter what did the summer consist of it
11:06was a dish of curried mutton sir
11:36suddenly I heard a man's voice didn't have give me a turn I can tell you sir
