GREEN: YELLOW SLEEVES, BELT, AND CAP 



1918 



Perhaps it would be too much to say that Mr. Bibby 

 was unfortunate in not winning the War National of 

 191 8. At the same time with a little luck in his favour 

 instead of against him it may safely be asserted that his 

 chance was a really good one. The animal concerned 

 was Wavertree, a son of Wavelet's Pride and Kendal 

 Lily, seven years old when the race was run. His first 

 appearance in public was in the Suffolk Maiden Steeple- 

 chase at Windsor in 191 7, the race being named after 

 the late Lord Suffolk, an energetic patron of the sport 

 and a Member of the National Hunt Committee which 

 he had been instrumental in founding. Mr. Fred 

 Withington had converted Wavertree into an excellent 

 fencer. Probably he was not quite ready for this January 

 race, but a couple of months later on the same course 

 he easily won the three mile Brocas 'Chase, these two 

 being his only appearances as a six-year-old. 



Next season, that is to say in 191 8, he was sent to 

 Gatwick to run for the Stewards' Handicap Steeple- 

 chase, the favourite for which was Sir George BuUough's 

 Ballymacad, who as just recorded had won the War 

 National the previous year. Wavertree carried only 

 I lb. less, the weights being 1 1 st. 3 lb. and 1 1 st. 2 lb. 

 respectively, and a closer finish is not imaginable. Sir 

 George Bullough, a most strenuous war-worker, has not 

 been on the race course since hostilities began. Lady 



134 



