SOME LIVERPOOLS, INCLUDING KIRKLAND'S 



principal supporters of a number of minor meetings in 

 the West of England, at Tenby, Cardiff, Carmarthen 

 and similar gatherings. Kirkland's first appearance in 

 England, however, was a higher flight. He was sent 

 to Hooton Park in October to run for the Great Autumn 

 Steeplechase, and though he did not win it he came 

 near to doing so. There were just a dozen starters, the 

 favourite, a useful six-year-old named Easter Ogue, a 

 son of that famous sire of 'chasers Ascetic, ridden by 

 Escott, the Lewes trainer. Three other runners were 

 much fancied, Bonnie Dundee, Rose O'Neill with Mason 

 in the saddle, and Alpheus. Kirkland and Easter Ogue 

 both carried lost. 7 lb., and taking into consideration 

 weight for age, Easter Ogue had some 1 6 lb. the better 

 of the weights. Kirkland, however, ran second to 

 Bonnie Dundee, 10 st. 12 lb., beaten three lengths, with 

 Easter Ogue twice as far behind him. 



This was a decidedly promising start, as was recog- 

 nised when the horse reappeared at Cardiff some ten days 

 afterwards, for odds of 5 to 4 were laid on him ; unsuc- 

 cessfully, however, as he could only finish third to Boa and 

 Athelwolf. The latter was ridden by a skilful amateur, 

 Mr. H. S. Sidney, who was afterwards killed in pursuit 

 of his favourite sport. This was of course one of 

 many occasions on which Mr. Sidney had opportunities 

 of studying Kirkland's pretensions, and the conclusion 

 at which he arrived was that Kirkland was " the worst 

 steeplechase horse in England ! " How far he was from 

 u 49 



