372 STEEPLE-CHASING. 



In the knack of getting over fences the quickest and 

 shortest way, Captain Smith has been excelled by only a few 

 past-masters of the art. Mr. Brockton has also been denied the 

 highest honour for, in spite of the chance which. sometimes 

 throws a Grand National in a man's way, while infinitely better 

 riders cannot add their names to the roll, it is so esteemed. 

 The Grand National Hunt Steeple-chase fell to him in 1868, 

 and he won many others that year. Mr. Brockton is a good 

 horseman over a big country, and probably owes not a little of 

 his success to a point which was insisted on in the chapter on 

 ' Riding the Race,' his habit of looking thoroughly over any 

 course where he was going to ride. Thus he noted the good 

 ground, and never failed to take advantage of it. Like so very 

 many other riders, the great majority, it may be said, Mr. 

 Brockton, if he had a weakness, was inclined to come rather 

 too soon in hurdle-races and on the flat. 



In the list of gentlemen-riders who win races no small 

 test of capacity the Hon. George Lambton, Mr. H. Owen, 

 Captains E. R. Owen and Lee Barber, and Mr. C. J. Cunning- 

 ham must be included. 



Of professional riders James Adams is a remarkable example 

 of a skilful horseman who has retained his power and nerve 

 after the most active service for nearly thirty years. In 1857 

 he won the Somersetshire Stakes on Cedric, and in 1859 the 

 City and Suburban on Glen Buck ; the Northampton stakes on 

 Bevis, and the Queen's Vase at Ascot on Schism, were some of 

 the races he carried off. In the quarter of a century which has 

 passed since then he has lost nothing of his dash and courage. 



