The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-04 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,

GRAND NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLECHASES
AT MELTON MOWBRAY.
'When at the commencement of this year the idea of a
National Hunt Steeplechase was mooted under the auspices
of Lord Grey de Wilton, Mr. W. G. Craven and Mr. B. T.
Angell, having as its distinguishing speciality the induce-
ment held out to the tenant farmers of this county to enter
into a friendly rivalry with each other, and exhibit at the
post the pick of the various Hunts, it met with but little
short of universal approbation. The patent fact, disagree-
able as it was to admit, that our breed of hunters was dete-
riorating, and the demand for good horses consequently far
beyond the supply, was unquestionable. Taking an example
from Ireland, where a large sum is annually given at the
Kildare Hunt Meeting to encourage the breeding of first-
class hunters, and in which pursuit, as our racing annals
show, the sister isle is eminently successful, the promoters
of the scheme have sought to remedy the evil here by the
same means, and by calling on the various Hunts to con-
tribute, admitting the tenant-farmer at half the ordinary
stake, and allowing him to carry less weight, have paved
the way to remove what was rapidly becoming a national
stigma. Foremost among the subscribers was the Prince
of Wales, while the Duke of Beaufort, the Duke of Grafton,
Lord Yarborough, Lord Curzon, and most of our leading
M. F. H., entered warmly into the scheme. The result of
the first attempt has been most gratifying. At the little
village of Burton Lazarus, about two miles from Melton
Mowbray, and in the heart of the modern Quora country,
was assembled en Saturday last a gathering of sporting
men in the truest acceptation of that much-abused word,
together with a vast concourse of the general public such
as no steeplechase fixture has ever succeeded in collecting.
Pitched on a rising ground facing the straight run in, the
Stand, crowded with ladies, afforded as fair a view of the
four-mile course as the nature of it would admit. The day
was brilliantly fine, and the ground in admirable order.
Fifty horses were entered on the card for the great event
—" The Grand National Hunt Steeplechase of 10 soya each,
5 soya for tenant farmers, with 250 added," of which 28
came to the post ; and there is reason to believe the number
would have been increased by another dozen but for the
rather formidable appearance of the brook, which daunted
many. Not that it was anything out of the way in breadth,
but the taking off and landing were both bad, it had to be
cleared twice, and it was pretty generally felt it was not a
jump which a horse towards the close of a four-mile hard
'gallop should be called upon take. With this exception,
and this, in our opinion, only applies to the situation of the
brook, there was nothing to complain off. The start was a
magnificent sight. A very fine and even lot of horses faced
Mr. Craven, who officiated on the occasion. All the cele-
brated amateurs of the day were in the saddle, together
with many aspirants as yet unknown to fame. In the gleam
of silk and satin, the bright colours dazzling in the sun's
rays, they swept down the course to the dreaded brook, into
which some half-dozen immediately fell, throwing up jets of
water as they splashed in and scattering the spray in
showers—a sight, by the spectators at least, much relished.
Up the hill went the others with varying fortune, Cooks-
boro' and Lord George—t)ie latter steered by a deaf and
dumb rider—lying in front most of the way. We need not
dwell on what is fully described in its proper place. Cooks-
boro' came in an easy winner. Lord George, with the re-
putation of being much the better horse, bolting out of the
curve at the top of the hill, and damaging his chance
thereby. Most of them fenced magnificently. There were no
casualties, and it was felt that the first " Grand National
Hunt" had achieved a most decided success. Five other
events were decided, but they do not call for any special
comment.
Among the occupants of the Stand were the Earl and
Countess of Chesterfield, Maria Marchioness of Ailesbury,
Earl and Countess of Cardigan, Earl and Countess of Wil-
ton, Earl Grosvenor and Lady Constance Grosvenor, Lord
and Lady Curzon, Mr. G. and Lady Mary Craven, the
Ladies Craven, Lord and Lady Ingestre, the Marquis of
Hastings, the Earl of Coventry, the Earl of Westmoreland,
the Earl of Uxbridge, Lord Grey de Wilton, Lord and Lady
Walter Scott, Hon. G. Fitzwilliam, Col. Hon. J. Macdonald,
Count Batthyany, Lord Andover, Lord Bateman, Lord
Canterbury, Lord Forester, &c.
A Match of 25 sovs each, p.p. Last two miles of Grand
National Hunt Steeplechase Course.
Mr S. B, Sher, rd's Workman, 125 t.... (Captain Smith) 1
Viscount Andover's The Sphinx, 12st (Owner) 2
Betting-6 to 4on The Sphinx, who took a clear lead at
starting, and came over the first three fences some half-a-
dozen lengths in advance, but as they approached the large
piece of ploughed land by the bend in the Burton road, on
reaching the fence, The Sphinx ran into it, and on being
put at it a second time she fell and unhorsed his lordship,
who was soon remounted; the mistake gave his adversary a
long lead, which he retained to the brook, inte which he
jumped, but the bottom being sound it enabled Captain
Smith to clear the fence beyond, with the loss of his stirrup,
without loss of his seat, and he cantered in alone. The
Sphinx, who came on a long way in the rear, cleared the
water in brilliant style.
The Farmers' Stakes, a sweepstakes of 3 soya each, with
50 eovs added for the first, 15 sovs for the second, and
5 soya for the third horse, for regular horses that have
been regularly hunted with the Belvoir, Quorndon,
Cottesmore, or Mr Tailby's hounds. Weight for age.
The winner of the Farmers' Plate at Crsxton-park 51b
extra. To be ridden by farmers. About three miles.
14 subs.
Mr G. March's, jun., Fred, aged, 12st 71b (Mr Coleman) 1
Mr R. H. Griffin's Myrrhina, 5 yrs, list 71b (0 wner) 2
Mr J. Perkin's, jun., Volunteer, aged, 12st 71b
(Mr Ward) 3
Mr John B. Leadbetter's Deception, aged, 12st 71b
(Mr Fisher) 4
The following also ran:—Bandoline, Edwin, Fores'„er,
Give him a Name, Lottery, and Meteor.
Betting-4 to 1 agst Edwin, sto 1 agst Giv
Name, 100 to 15 each agst Myrrhina and Volunteer, and 5
to 2 agst Deception and Bandoline coupled,
The lot got away at the first attempt upon equal terms,
but widely spread, Forester on the extreme left, in company
with Give-him-a-Name, Huntsman, Edwin, and others in
close pursuit, all getting safely over; and immediately after
each selected his place as they raced down to take the water
jump, which was reached first by Forester and Give-hiin- a-
Name, who jumped short. Volunteer followed close in
track, but striking the post and rails on the taking off-side
heavily ho sent his rider into the air like a cricket ball, but
'who was soon remounted. These mistakes created great
confusion, which became worse confounded as each failed
in succession to clear the water, each successive immersion
being received with deafening cheers by the thousand look-
ing on. During the confusion Forester, close up with whom
was Fred, being the first out, was seen a long way in ad-
vance of Edwin, Lady Florence, Deception, and Bandoline
as they crossed the road for the hill, in the [rear of whom
came Volunteer and Myrrhina. In these positions they
roundel. the flag for home, but as they descended the mea-
dows Fred headed Forester, who as they entered the bottom
gave way, and the leader was joined by Deception, Volun-
teer, Myrrhina, and Bandoline, who crossed the road in close
'order, and came over the' succeeding fences without a mis-
take. On approaching the water they spread, Fred taking it
on the right, and getting safely over, Myrrhina being
second, Deception third, Volunteer fourth, and Bandoline
next, some distance in the rear. The two leaders came on
together to the last fence, which they cleared abreast and
raced home together, Fred running the longer, and winning
very cleverly at last by a head. Volunteer, who broke a
blood vessel, finished a bad third, Deception fourth, a leng
way in the rear of whom came Bandoline.
A Free Handicap Steeplechase of 20 Bove each, 5 ft.
Winners extra. About four miles. 18 subs, 14 of whom

paid.
Captain Ma3hell's Leonidas, list 91b (C. Boyce) 1
Mr C. H. Tempest's Merrimac, Ilst 31b (Knott) 2
leading Article and Creole also ran.
Betting-7 to 4 agst Creole, 2to 1 apt Merrimac, 3to 1
agst Leonidas, and 5 to 1 agst Leading Article,
Leading Article, in company with Merrimac, got away
in advance, and made the running to the first fence, at
which the former fell, leaving Merrimac in possession of
the lead, which he held over the water jump, followed by
Creole and Leonidas, who got safely over, but Colonel
Forester's horse, less fortunate, striking the timber fell into
its centre, but who was again remounted, and followed on
two fields in the rear. Proceeding up the hill Creole headed
Merrimac, and somewhat mended the pace, but as they
neared the flags on the bill he made a mistake, which was
immediately rectified, and he rounded them some lengths
in advance of Merrimac and Leonidas, but on taking the
fence before the road in the bottom he fell, and was at once
oat of the race, leaving Merrimac in possession of the lead,
closely followed by Leonidas, the pair taking the fence in
clever style, and as they crossed the plough to the brook
they
were head and head, in which position they charged
the water jump, Leonidas landing slightly in advance, but
fell, Merrimac imitating his example. Both were imme-
diately up, and, having been quickly mounted, recommenced
the race home in earnest, Leonidas, leading over the last
fence a shade in advance, held his own to the end, and won
in a canter at last by half a dozen lengths.
The Grand National Rant Steeplechase, a sweepstakes of
10 sovs each, 5 ft, with 250 soya added, for hunters that
have never won any Steeplechase,
hurdle race, or fiat race
value 20 sovs. 5-yr-olds, list 71b ; 6-yr-olds, 12st 121 b;
aged, 12st 71b. To be ridden by gentlemen or farmers.
The second horse to receive 60 soya, and the third 20 sovs.
About four miles. 64 subs,
Mr E. Studd's Cooksboro',4 yrs, 12at 71b (Mr F. Loton) 1
Mr Bebren's Game Chicken, aged, 12st 71b (Captain
Smith) 00000000 : 000 ..............r
G. Walker) 3
.......... 2
Mr Sheward's Sir Stepp ~6yrs, 12st 7p:, (111
Captain Williams ns Crusade, 5
e, yrs) llst 21b, 51b
, 12st 21b
(Captain Tempest) 4
Enfield,
Mr W. Daniel's Len; aged

(M 'Bowen) 5
Marquis of Hastings's Mr Sheward's Triangle,r a, 12st 71b
(Mr Johnstone) 6
Captain Coventry's The Miller, aged, 12st nb
(Mr Coventry) 7
The following also ran : Oscar, Marine; Maria Day.
Jack, Gone-away, Princess Royal, Mrs Rarey, volunteer'
Ru'ticus, The Feather, Electra, Sultan, White-faced Jack,
Wrangler, Gaylad, Lord George, Scarborough, Kathleen,
Magic, and Discount.
Betting-5 to 1 agst Sir Robert, 6to 1 egst Sir Stephen,
10 to 1 agst Triangle, 100 to 8 agst Lord George, 100 to 6
each net Electra, Miller, and Princess Royal, 20 to 1 each
agst Kathleen and Game Chicken, 25 to 1 each apt Die-