The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-01-11
RACETRACK STORIES.

A horse that falls asleep during an
important race must surely have few
equals of its'kind. Yet this is what
Happy Bird did when running at
Gatwck year or 80 age. s e was
ridden by Birch, the jockey, and be-
longed to Mr.. Plitchard. She com.
peted in two mile race, was left we'll
behind and was walking slowly toward
the paddock when bystander called
her riders attentionsto the fact that
the horse was fast asleep.
Happy Bird did not win the race.
but there is on record still more ex.
traordinary case of where dead horse
actually did win race, says London
ANSWERS" This absolutely unique
event occurred so far back as sl772
and was in race from W ood's Gate,
four miles beyond Tonbridge, to Kent
street, in the borough and back, a to.
tai length Of some eighty miles. 1t
was arranged that that there was to
be no CHATTING" during the contest,
and that, as the great struggle might
we'll be expected to kill the winner at
the end, the "first horse in, dead or
alive,' should be declared the win
ner. II. 80 -
One of the two horses fell and died,
owing to the exertion, after having
gone only fifteen miles, and the other
was thoroughly pumped" too, by
that time. The hackers of the dead
animal therefore obtained an old fat
cart, placed the deceased horse on it.,
with the jockey on its back, and soon
outdistanced the rival steed. which
was scarcely even able to walk. The
latter's supporters then tried the same
dodge, but we're unable to get fat
cart for their steed; and so the dead
horse came in easily first at Woods
Gate, and was awarded the stakes Of
$50 guineas. And that is, almost
certainly, the only time on record
when dead horse really won an i'm.
portant race. =
1t is not generally known that the
rules of the National Hunt provide
that when jockey is thrown in a
steeplechase any bystander may mount
the riderless horse, if possible, and may
win the race on it if he can. This has
caused quite a dramatic scene on a
great race course before today and
much establishment among people who
did not know the curious rule. For
only a few years ago, at Kempten
Park, a horse running in q stseple-
chase by accident threw his rider, who
was unable to mount again. On this
the horses trainer, Escott, who by
good luck chanced to be near the
scene of the accident, at once jump
ed the horses back, and, riding him
strongly, actually won the race.
Has winning horse ever died as it
passed the post! There is no record
of such, or it would almost have s1.
celled the noted Woods Gate to Bor.
ough event as curiousity. But there
is case, where a racer did die on
passing the post, though it was not .
winner. This was when Counterpart
descendant of Hermit, ran for the
Stockbridge Cup in 1886 and fell
down just as it reached the judges
box. 1t never rose again and was
taken away dead to be buried at
Dauebuy.
A most unusual thing, Too, it must
bs to find a race horse drowned dur.
ing the running Of great race. Yet
this is what happened to Ballyshan
non At Totnes four or five years back
The horse was engaged in the Totne.
handicap hardle raer, and the Rivei
Dart runs close by the side of the
track. From some cause which was
never quite clear, Ballyshsnnon went
to pieces during the race, collapsed
badly and, rolling over, fell into The
river, where it was drowned before i,
could be rescued. -,
There has within the last few years
been more than one case where two
horses have run dead heat second
time, after having done so in thei1
original race, but we have to go 8
very long way back to find this unus
ual thing happening third time, ii
fact, perhaps the only recorded in
stance Was in 1920, when Handel ant
Tarragon, at the races at Newcastle
Jude. Lyme, tried three times to decid
which was the better horse and eac|
time ran a dead heat. What excite
ment there must have been on tha
course!