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reached the Powburn, three fields from home. Mr. A.'s horse took the burn gallantly, but the Earl's refused, and Mr. A. won by half a field.

Fifth Race.-Mr. G. Hamilton for the Earl―Mr. Edington for himself: -an excellent race, and won by his Lordship's horse by three lengths.

The speed at which the races were contested was very great-the four miles being performed in some of them in less than fifteen minutes.

The country over which the racing took place was very close, and at least one fourth of it tremendously hilly; the Powburn is fifteen feet wide at the place where the course crossed it at one point, and the same breadth with the addition of a hedge at the other.

The ground was very heavy in hill and close in fence, and several of them very difficult. The course was not previously examined by the riders. The latter are entitled to the highest rank in the sporting calendar, there having been only one fall in the five races. The races commenced about twelve, and finished at three. Lord Kelburne was on the ground and discharged the duties of umpire most satisfactorily to those interested in the issue of the races.

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to touch him to the ending. He won the heat without the least difficulty.

Second Heat.-They went away much in the same order as at first, but all evidently made up for mischief, and, considering the ground and the fences they had to encounter, at a swinging bat. Harbinger swerved at the fourth fence from home, but soon caught his horses, Bravo being well in front.

At the road Shamrock made the play, and they ran nearly abreast at a tremendous pace to the last leap but two-Bravo over first, and Shamrock laid close alongside; when, after a desperate struggle, the latter won by little more than a neck. The heat was disputed on the part of Mr. Knaresborough for a cross by Shamrock, but the decision was ultimately in favour of Mr. Tuthill.— From the excellence of the running, and the good order which prevailed, we hope to see a full entry for this race next year.

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On the 23d of March, for 20 sovs. each, ten horses started from a field near Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and a point in Cottesbrook Cow Pastures was fixed on as the goal. There were two brooks in the route, and the fences, though not heavy, were nume

rous.

Mr. Evans's Grimaldi, whose previous performances had attached to him considerable interest, refused the fourth fence, and threw his rider. Mr. Osbaldeston quickly re-mounted, and overtook the field, but in crossing the first brook, Grimaldi cleared with his fore-feet, but fell backwards with his rider into the water, giving the Squire a cooler: this second disaster left him not the remotest chance of success. For a time no horse could claim any advantage, but after the fate of the favorite had been decided, the remaining ground__was strongly contested between Mr. Wesley's Lily, Mr. Tibbett's Enterprise, Mr. Soloway's Daring Ranger, Mr. Wilson's Moses, Mr. Thornhill's Patrician, and Mr. Cox's Montebello,

Lily keeping the lead till within half a mile of the winning point, when she fell. Daring Ranger and Moses then advanced, and the race terminated by Daring Ranger winning easily. Moses came in second, Enterprise third, Lily fourth, Montebello fifth, Patrician sixth, Mr. Berkeley's Outcast seventh, and Mr. Russell's The Monk eighth.

On the same day, a second SteepleChase for six sovs. each was run over the same ground. Seven horses started, Mr. Paleman's Blucher taking the lead, closely followed by Mr. C. G. Fletcher's Don Cossack and Mr. Cox's Quaker. The remainder of the field (Mr. Prince's Filho, Mr. Wesley's grey gelding, Mr. Dickens's Biddy, and Mr. Reeve's Rutland) appeared to have no chance. About a mile from home, Blucher gave place to the Quaker and Don Cossack, who ran neck and neck till they reached the last fence, in clearing which Don Cossack's size and condition gave him the advantage; he cleared the distance of twenty-three feet, and won by two lengths.

Ön the 25th, a Steeple-Chase, from Brockdish Church to Scole (four miles), for 28 sovs. each, came off in the presence of numerous horsemen and spectators on foot. Of the light weights the winner was, Mr. Wallace's Silly Billy, beating Mr. S. Smith's Little Tom (2d), Mr. Munro's Peablossom, Mr. G. Wilson's Jack, and Mr. Gould's Fleecrow. Of the heavy weights (carrying 13 st.), the winner was Mr. Gould's Jack O'Lanthorn beating Mr. Barker's Filippo, Mr. Munro's Chipp, and Mr. Beverley's Antelope and Vandyke.

This was followed by a match between H. Monro, of Walham-le-Willows, Esq., and Mr. Ellis, of Shelfanger Hall, for two guineas a-side. The horses were placed near Brockdish Church, and the winning post fixed in a piece of land belonging to Mr. Lines of Thorpe Hall. The horses started at three o clock, and went in gallant style for a distance of nearly five miles, over a very heavy country greatly intersected with stiff

fences. Mr. Ellis soon gained and kept the lead, and but for one of those accidents which can neither be foreseen nor prevented, he wouldin all probability have been the winner. More than 400 persons were present at Scole. A large party afterwards dined at the White Hart Inn, Scole, George St. Vincent Wilson, Esq. in the chair, and the day was concluded with the greatest harmony.

On the 26th, a match was run for 2001. a-side between Colonel Charritie's Napoleon and Mr. Clutterbuck's Clipstone, rode by Mr. Osbaldeston, from a field at Woolscott between Daventry and Dunchurch, finishing within a field of Dunchurch Windmill. Clipstone took the lead, was never headed, and won very easy. In clearing the brook he jumped 27 feet, a prodigious leap for a nag of his size (143 hands).

On the 30th, a Sweepstakes, which had for some time been on the tapis, came off in the neighbourhood of Amersham, in the presence of a numerous assemblage of the higher class of sportsmen. The race was for 25 sovs. each, 12st. each, and the horses came in thus:

Mr. Anderson's Arbutus, Mr.W.Weston,
Mr. Kent's Jerry, Captain Beecher.
Lord Pembroke's Peverel, Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Fairlie's Antelope, Mr. W. Bean.
Mr. Munroe's Nell Gwynne, a Noble Lord.
Mr. Horn's Zigzag, Mr. Mason.
Mr. Caldecott's ch. g., Mr. Fielding.

Mr. Solloway's The Daring Ranger (owner), who won the Northamptonshire Stakes, came in second, but ran on the wrong side of the flags. The line of country selected commenced in a field belonging to Mr. Allen, at Chalfont. Leaving Mr. Allen's house to the right, it crossed the road leading from Chalfont to Amersham, about a mile from the former place into the Valley-crossed a shallow brook, and turning short to the right, ran alongside it up the Valley, ending in a field close to Amersham. The last half mile was across a long meadow without a single fence; the ground was light, the fences easy, the distance short, and the affair altogether more like racing than steeplechasing. The running for the early

part was made by Nell Gwynne, which was admirably jock'd, Jerry and Antelope (winner of the St. Alban's) next her; Bean making rather too free and over-setting his horse. About half the distance the winner and The Daring Ranger came to the front, Arbutus winning in the end cleverly. He was ridden with great coolness and judgment. Peverel was not far off; he was outpaced on the turf, but if the ground had been heavier he would have been in a better place.

On the 6th of April a real varmint thing took place over six miles of the Warwickshire country, between Mr. Evans's Grimaldi, rode by Mr. Osbaldeston, and Colonel Charritie's Napoleon, jock'd by Capt. Beecher, for 1000 sovs.-the country very heavy, lots of fences of "all sorts and sizes," several brooks, and one (the river Lem) impracticable. The skill, judgment, and nerve of the riders are too well known to need specification. T. Crommelin, Esq. for Col. Charritie, and Mr. Kench, for Mr. Osbaldeston, selected the ground. The conditions were-that the riders might pass on either side of the white flags, placed in the direct line; but that Gibraltar-farm, where a red flag was placed, should be passed on their left; and that at each of the two brooks two blue flags would be planted, between which they were to be taken.

The start took place precisely at one o'clock, in a field near to Berlingbury-wharf-the winning-post a red flag near to Dunchurch Windmill. The line was nearly a semi-circle, at the commencement, from the wharf to Gibraltar-farm-which they were to leave on their left hand-thence to the village of Broadwell, across the brook, close to Hardwick-bridgethence to Bratt's-farm, where they had to jump the Lem. When the horses came to Broadwell, the last four miles were straight-the Windmill a conspicuous point throughout.

mile from home they were close together, and on crossing the high road Mr. Osbaldeston went away to the left to avoid a double fence which was in the line. Napoleon cleared this fence very cleverly, as indeed he did everything in the race with the exception of the first. Grimaldi refused several times, one near Gibraltarfarm, when Mr. Osbaldeston was leading (a double fence), and with his chest knocked down the rail; Napoleon cleared it in his stroke. On coming out of the orchard near to Broadwell, Mr. Osbaldeston had the lead, and maintained it, but his horse refusing a low style, and afterwards some hurdles, allowed the Captain to get away.

The superior speed of Grimaldi enabled him quickly to recover his lost ground, and both horses cleared the fence together into the field, where the first brook was to be taken. Here Mr. Osbaldeston, instead of passing between the flags, left them both on his right hand. Napoleon topped the whole in very grand style, for independently of the brook, there was a hedge on the opposite side. At the place where Mr. Osbaldeston took the brook, a large gap was observed, and it was a matter of surprise to every one why Mr. Osbaldeston. should make this his point, and distinctly leave both flags on his right, (in defiance of the conditions,) when there was plenty of room between the flags for fifty horses to pass abreast of one another. In about half a mile the Lem crossed their line, where the majority of the spectators had placed themselves.

To the infinite amusement of all assembled, both horses jumped into the middle of the stream, and for a few seconds were invisible. The Captain was the first remounted, though the last in, and the advantage he gained was considerable. He rode gallantly to maintain it, taking his fences without at all deviating from his line; but the superior speed of Grimaldi, and the easy line he took, close to the road side, avoiding three or four very heavy fences, enabled him to win the race a clear length.

Napoleon fell at the first fence, but the Captain quickly recovered his seat, and took his line to the left, while Mr. Osbaldeston went away to the right. About three quarters of a VOL. VII.-SECOND SERIES.-No. 37.

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Napoleon proved himself throughout the contest the better fencer; but Grimaldi's speed always gave him the opportunity of recovering his ground. Much discussion took place at the conclusion of the race, in consequenee of Mr. Osbaldeston's Umpire asserting that Captain Beecher had also passed on the wrong side of the blue flag. This assertion, however, was unsupported by evidence: and the Referee, Mr. H. Robins, on returning to the brook, established the fact, and stated it to both Umpires publicly, that Captain Beecher had taken the brook conformably to the conditions, and that the Squire had gone on the wrong side of the flag. The number of fences in the six miles was fortyfour; the first brook was the thirtieth, and the Lem the thirty-eighth. The whole distance was performed in twenty-one minutes. It was considered not quite correct" on the part of Mr. Kench (Mr. Osbaldeston's Umpire), after the statement of the Referee, to prevent Capt. Beecher from going to scale, unless Mr. Osbaldeston was permitted to do the same, because no ground of complaint existed against the Captain, whereas it had been indisputably proved that the Squire was distanced. It was finally agreed that it should be a drawn battle, and that each should take back his stakes, and all bets on the match declared void.

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There was another point in the race, which in the eye of the Sportsman looked anything but varmint. Some of the Squire's friends, it appeared, had been heaving the lead in the Lem, by way of sounding the shore, and as he came up, stood at a particular spot on the opposite bank by way of guiding him. Every one who knows the Squire is aware that be required no such advantage, and the determined resolution with which he took the stream proved it to be

unnecessary.

Both Gentlemen rode as gallantly as ever two men did. It was generally admitted that Grimaldi had the puli in speed, whilst Napoleon was the best fencer: indeed the latter would have had no chance but for

this superiority. The Squire was quite awake to this, and judiciously availed himself of it, for he waited the whole way upon Napoleon, and could only at the end come in a clear length in front, always keeping his horse within himself, and capable of going by Napoleon at will, though the daring manner in which Napoleon took his fence, rendered the speed of Grimaldi necessary to compete with his opponent.

On the 11th, a Steeple-Chase for a purse of 501. and a sweepstakes of 2 sovs. each, took place at the pleasant town of Olney, for which nine horses were entered.-Umpires, J. W. Talbot, Esq. and T. Hall, Esq. The ground chosen was from a field at Hardmead to Olney Bridge, a distance of about four miles. At starting the ground was very heavy. A large double fence was cleared by Mr. W. Price's horse Chance, rode by Mr. Herring, a distance of twentyeight feet! Within half a mile of the winning-post there were three wide brooks, at the first of which Mr. J. Whitworth's Magic took fright at one of the flags, when Chance pushed forward, and for a while kept the lead, but on reaching the last brook, which was the widest of the three, Chance in his turn received a check, Mr. Herring having mistaken the track, and followed a circuitous route. The remainder of the ground was sharply contested by the two horses, Chance eventually winning by half a length. Competent judges feel satisfied that could Mr. Whitworth have held an uninterrupted course, he must inevitably have been the winner, so far had he out-stripped the rest.—Mr. Maxey's black horse came in third, and Mr. Luke Price's Ringtail fourth. The other five horses were nowhere. After the race, a gentleman, in crossing the brook on horseback, found himself carried by the current towards the main stream, but prompt assistance being afforded, he was quickly rescued from his somewhat perilous situation.

A Steeple Chase, long anticipated, and which excited great interest in Somersetshire, came of on Tuesday the 16th, starting from Bean Wood near Pucklechurch, with the winning flag at Toghill, a distance of four miles, over a country of sufficient difculty to call into exertion the skill of the horse and his rider." The hedges were low, but with wide ditches, with two difficult lanes to be crossed, and the leaps amounting in the whole to nearer ninety than eighty. The concourse of spectators, particularly horsemen, was very numerous, including many distinguished families in the neighbourhood. At twelve o'clock eight horses with their riders in jockey costume appeared at the starting post, (Topper, named by Mr. Codrington, having been drawn,) as follows:-Taffy, rode by Mr. Bayly of Bristol; Rocket, by Mr. Bradley; Blackberry, by Mr. Townsend; Moonraker, by Mr.Maythorne; Forester, by Mr. Moggridge; Charley, by Mr. Peel; Selim, by Mr. Moore; and Stick-in-the Mud, by Mr. Powell -Charley the favorite. The umpires were C. W. Codrington, Esq. and John Bayly, Esq.-Taffy was the winner; but this may in some measure

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be attributed to the knowledge Mr. Bayly is supposed to have had of the country; for whilst the others bolted straight forward for the winning post, this gentleman took a circuitous route, thereby avoiding many of the fences. Selim at starting ran against a gate, and was put hors de combat. The rider of Charley had no fewer than seven falls, the last into a deep ditch, from which he and his gallant steed were with difficulty extricated. The rider of Blackberry, when near the goal, got bewildered in a orchard, from which he could not extricate himself in time to save his opportunity. Rocket came in second, and Blackberry third. The other horses toddled up, but most of them greatly distressed. Though it was but a so-so affair, bets were heavy. The distance was done in eighteen minutes.

In the Oxfordshire Steeple-chase noticed in our last (p. 463), the winner is stated to be "Mr. Quartermaine's g. h. by Arbutus, bred in Leicestershire." We are led to understand that this is an error, and that "this superior horse was bred by Mr. Bocock, of Irby, near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, who sold him when a yearling to Mr. Skipworth, of Cabourne, of whom he was purchased at Horncastle fair by Mr. Quartermaine."

A FEW LINES FROM DASHWOOD.

T this advanced period of the month, it will be useless, I fear, for me to transmit to you an account of what I have seen during the last fortnight with various packs of hounds, &c. &c. in the West of England, where I have been lately enjoying a most delightful séjour amidst all that is hospitable and sporting. Your readers nevertheless must know what has been going on there at the windup of the season; and if they will grant me patience until the June Number, I shall have the honour of laying before them a "full, true, and particular" narration of what I have personally witnessed, as well as a mass of sporting intelligence on a great variety of subjects (including a most valuable paper on Yachting from one

of the ablest seamen of the day), which has been kindly communicated to me, from different parts of the kingdom. Indeed I am bound to seize this opportunity of publicly recording my deep obligations to the host of friends under whose letters I found my table groaning on my arrival at home last night: their anxious solicitude has completely placed me in the embarras des richesses; and I shall in sober seriousness have no little difficulty in determining which amongst their number I shall commence with Not to trespass on your pages, I may observe in one word, that in my next communication, hunting in all its shapes and varieties will be largely dwelt upon; a spice of racing, steeple-chasing, and

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