LOCAL MEETINGS, 355 



of different owners to start, or only half the added money will be 

 given, and the second money will be withheld ; in case of a walk- 

 over only one-fourth of the added money will be given. Entrance 

 2 sovs. About three miles. 



The horses that run for the Grand National Hunt steeple- 

 chase ' must, it will be seen, be maidens, and though success 

 in the race is much envied, there are many temptations in the 

 way of the owner of a really good chaser to induce him to start 

 his horse elsewhere, especially as this is not a race for which an 

 owner can back his horse to win him much money. Many 

 disappointments are naturally met by men who have kept their 

 horses for years, as they must of necessity be kept, exclusively 

 for the purpose of taking this race. Thus, in the chase that 

 was run at Cambridge in 1870, Baron Rothschild had a horse 

 called Ledburn of which great things were expected. The 

 nobleman who rode as Mr. ' Roily ' — the secret is such a very 

 open one that no confidence can be betrayed in speaking 

 of him as Lord Melgund — went down to ride him in his work 

 at Mentmore, and it was thought that Ledburn could not lose. 



Unfortunately for Mentmore, Mr. Richardson and Schiedam 

 were in the race, and, notwithstanding that Schiedam was only 

 half schooled at the time, he won very easily. Lord Melgund 

 was blamed at the time for making too much use of his horse, 

 but he never had the least chance. Owners who have been 

 thus disappointed— the case is quoted because it is typical of 

 many — are prone to get disgusted wdth the race, and of neces- 

 sity many owners are so disappointed every year. Interest in 

 the race is enhanced by the fact that owners and riders do not 

 know what they have to meet. As it happens. Grand National 

 Steeple-chase winners have not done much in their subsequent 

 careers ; but, though it has not thus earned great reputation, the 

 conditions of the race make it one which true lovers of the 

 sport of chasing will always be anxious to win. 



1 See note on pa^e 327. 



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