250 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



known as the " Essex Hunt Club Private Steeplechases," 

 instead of, as hitherto, the " Essex Hunt Private Steeple- 

 chases." 



The first of the separate " Point-to-Point " Race 

 meetings was held at Great Hassells, Higrh Easter, on 

 March 27th, 1886. Two races were run, each finishing in 

 the starting field. The course was, for the Red Coat Race, 

 towards Pleshey, to Mashbury Mill, and round by Elbows : 

 and, for the Farmers' Race, towards Good Easter, to 

 Bedford's Farm, leaving Good Easter on the left, then to 

 Herring's, round by Mr. Oliver's and back. There were 

 ten starters for the Red Coat Race, which was won by the 

 master's Shylock, ridden by Bailey. The only heavy 

 weight to complete the course was Mr. Alfred .Suart, 

 though his horse, appropriately named Kingfisher, took a 

 dip in the brook. In the Farmers' Race fifteen horses 

 started, two of them (Lady Bell and The Caber) being 

 winners at the Chelmsford Hunt Steeplechases on the pre- 

 vious Tuesday. This race proved very exciting at the 

 finish, as two of the first four that landed in the last field 

 went the wrong side of the winning flags. This dis- 

 qualified the first whip, Wesley, who came in first on 

 Mr. W. Bambridge's Emily, and the race was awarded to 

 Mr. Waylett's Lucy, ridden by the second whip, Jack 



