had moved into the lead with Melton moving into contention. As the leaders drifted wide on the home turn, Archer drove Melton through the gap on the inside and quickly opened up a clear lead. Isobar emerged as a challenger halfway down the straight, but Melton responded to Archer's spur and pulled right away to win "in grand style" by six lengths from Isobar, with Lonely in third. On his final start of the year Melton started at odds of 1/25 for Great Foal Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket on September 30. He was never in any danger and won "hard held" by one and a half lengths from his stable companion Pearl Diver, to whom he was conceding seven pounds. Around this time Lord Hastings issued a challenge to Jack Hammond, the owner of St. Gatien for £1,000 a match race between Melton and the 1884 Derby winner, with Melton to receive nine pounds. The challenge was declined, as St Gatien had already been heavily backed for the Cambridgeshire Handicap. After St Gatien was beaten under 136 pounds in the Cambridgeshire, Hammond responded to Hastings by suggesting that a match could take place the following season for a stake of between £5,000 and £20,000. 1886: four-year-old season Early in 1886, Melton was reported to have defeated St Gatien at level weights in a private trial, although details are few and it is unclear whether or not this was an official match. Melton officially began his four-year-old season in the Hardwicke Stakes, in which he was matched against the outstanding three-year-old Ormonde for a much anticipated contest. Ormonde was made 30/100 favourite, with Melton on 7/2. Ormonde took the lead from his pacemaker Coracle at the start of the straight, and although Melton chased hard he was never able to get on terms. On the line, he was still two lengths behind the younger colt to whom he was conceding sixteen pounds. Melton recorded a meaningless win on his next start, when he frightened away all the opposition in the Newcastle Gold Cup and was allowed to walk over. Having established himself as an excellent middle-distance performer and stayer, Melton was dropped in distance for his next two starts. At Newmarket he started 5/4 favourite for the July Cup over six furlongs. Archer sent Melton into the lead before halfway, and in the closing stages he pulled clear to