Mr. J. M. Richardson's Writings Collated 



big coup in particular he laid himself out, for there is an 

 amusing- story attached. There being, in his opinion, only 

 one bar to the success of his mare Fan in the Grand National 

 of 1867, viz. the size of the fences, Mr. Barber determined to 

 " mak sikker," as the Red Comyn remarked on a memorable 

 occasion, by trimming them a bit on his own account. Accord- 

 ingly, with this object in view, accompanied by a friend, he set 

 out, chopper in hand, in the dead of the night on his errand 

 of mercy. His surprise may be imagined when, arrived on 

 the ground, he heard chop, chop, chop, in the neighbourhood 

 of Becher's Brook, and, going to ascertain the cause, found 

 another party busily engaged in making things a bit easier for 

 another candidate. 



Whether these rival philanthropists joined forces or not 

 history does not state, but it is certain that so far as Fan was 

 concerned her astute owner might as well have remained 

 between the blankets, as, though backed at the finish as 

 though the race were over, she could get no nearer than 

 second to Cortolvin, who won in a canter by five lengths. 



Another instance of oversight on his part I might mention 

 was leaving Disturbance out in the cold when he won the 

 Grand National. The day's racing at an end, Mr. Barber 

 would repair to his inn, and there, seated at the head of a long 

 table, he would roar out song after song in a sonorous voice 

 which made the rafters ring again, and was only hushed when, 

 at the call of " Time, Gentlemen, Time ! " the company broke 

 up for the night. 



Good Military Riders. 



Our gentlemen riders have always held their own with the 

 professionals over an Aintree country, the reason for which, in 

 all probability, is that being hunting-men they find themselves 



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