BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



dock is one of the most beautiful sights. We have noted there 

 — before the first couple were called, and the hare-boys (look- 

 ing like tortoises erect) started on their march — the shining 

 bridle of Streamer, the dark black of the great bitch corps — 

 Spider, old Belle of the Village, Rebe, and Reliance ; the blue 

 of Goodareena ; the fawn of Sea Rock ; the red of Monarch and 

 Sea Girl ; while the brindle on the tail deftly told the difference 

 between the flying whites of Liverpool, Mr. Spinks's Sea Pink 

 and Sea Foam. 



' A qviarter past ten, and there is no time to lose ; off comes 

 Mr. Warwick's overcoat, and he mounts a good-looking grey. 

 Requiem and Morning Dew are in the slips, but three hares get 

 away before Raper gets a slip to his mind. It was a bad 

 beginning, as both got unsighted before they had been long at 

 it, and then Requiem went on with the hare by herself, and 

 had such a severe singlehander, that the hearts of her backers 

 die within them, and any hopes of pulling off 33 to 1 become 

 a vanishing fraction. Then every eye is on Lobelia, as this 

 rare granddaughter of Canaradzo comes out bright and beauti- 

 ful, and not one mass of diachylon plaster as she was last year. 

 She hung in the slips a little, and then she warmed up and raced 

 past Exactly in the brilliant style of her Trovatore days, and 

 made a masterly kill. The Lancashire men may well shout for 

 her after such a performance, and wish her well through the 

 Cup. Now the drain jumping begins, and sorely tests the limbs 

 that are stiff with " age's frost." Some bound over them 

 in their stride like antelopes, or use the comfortable pole ; 

 others go at them with faces indicative of resignation and agony 

 combined, and if a foot slips there is a roar like a salvo of 

 artillery down the line. Occasionally a stout gentleman 

 determines, rather than be left behind, to jump or perish in the 

 attempt. He is gravely advised by some athlete to " pull 

 himself together," whatever that process may be ; he balances 

 his arms, rushes, regardless of family considerations, at his 

 works, funks, towers, is deposited with a splash, and ignomini- 

 ously crawls out up the opposite bank. What comfort is it 



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