230 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



who succeeded in 1886 at Malton, stands out as its 

 sole Grand Nationed hero. In its earHest of years, 

 however, Bridegroom came very near to doing the 

 trick ; for after winning the National Hunt in i860, 

 he finished fourth to Jealousy in the following year, 

 being ridden by Mr FitzAdams, an assumed name 

 for Mr H. Blundell, a relative of Mr Burton. In 

 1862, with what they then called Young Ben Land 

 in the saddle, there was only the winner Huntsman 

 to stop the way. It may not be generally known 

 that it was in the Aintree event that Brideeroom 

 ran unplaced in i860 before making successfully all 

 the running in the National Hunt Steeplechase. 

 At Liverpool he was the mount of Mr Ekard, an 

 assumed name for none other than the Rev. Mr 

 Edward Drake, as Mr Burton's weight did not 

 permit the mount at Aintree. 



But as the Rev. Cecil Legard used to say when 

 talking of his own earliest of steeplechase saddle 

 days, " Of course that was before I took Holy 

 Orders," and such was no doubt the same with 

 Parson Drake and his i860 Grand National mount 

 on Bridegroom. 



In the National Hunt list of winners. Major 

 Tempest's name is seen against the National Hunt 

 hero Pickles at Bristol, as far back as 1873, when 

 he defeated Mr Arthur Yates a head on Cardigan 

 after as grand a set-to as one could wish to witness. 



