The Life of a Great Sportsman 



as it certainly did for the far-seeing gentlemen of the Press, 

 to whom unwittingly he had given what in the phraseology of 

 the Turf is termed the " Office." 



When, the following March, Maunsell Richardson appeared 

 on the course at Aintree in the familiar white jacket and dark- 

 blue cap, mounted on Reugny, who left off one of the hottest 

 favourites for the Grand National ever known in the history 

 of the race, little did those who looked on and admired, and 

 later on cheered him to the echo as he galloped home on 

 the favourite, imagine that they had seen the last of this 

 brilliant horseman on a racecourse. Such, however, unfor- 

 tunately proved to be the case. Unjustly blamed by the 

 owner of the favourite for his failure at the very last moment 

 to obtain what he considered a fair price about his horse, and 

 offended beyond measure — and justly so — at the proposal 

 made to himself with a view to sending Reugny back on the 

 quotations, which, had it been carried out, must inevitably have 

 damaged his reputation, he made up his mind at once that, 

 win or lose, his ride on Reugny in the Grand National should 

 be his last. 



In vain did Captain Machell, now desperately angry at his 

 wishes not being complied with, threaten to scratch Reugny 

 and rely on Defence. " I don't keep my horses to run for a 

 lot of Lincolnshire farmers to bet on ! " added he. " I have 

 lived amongst and hunted with them all my life," retorted the 

 "Cat," "and having let you know the result of the trial in 

 ample time, thought myself justified |in giving them the 'tip.' 

 As for your threat," he added, "if you carry it out I'll ride 

 Furley and beat you ! " 



The Captain's next move was to offer all his principal horses 

 en bloc to Mr. Arthur Yates, acting .on behalf of that well- 

 known sportsman the late Mr. Gerard Leigh, for the sum of 



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