77 



The paper was laid by Messrs. Blackmoreand Gresson, 

 but owing to its being such a long journey, it did not last 

 out properly, so "scent" was fairly lost in the last mile. 



Shortly after the advertised hour, 7-30 a.m., the field 

 were let go, and the hurry everyone was in to get first over 

 the preliminary fence showed there was no lack of keen- 

 ness in the field, and there Avas an equal crush over the 

 second fence, the drop. It was not until the bund countrv 

 was reached that they had really shaken down into their 

 places, and it was then seen that Leila, Damages, Miss 

 Theo, and Flatcatcher were cutting out the work from 

 Sir Gareth, Freebooter, Unity, Queen, Caliban, Carlton, 

 and a few more all close up, the body of the field also in 

 close order. 



There Avere two big walls and an open ditch here, and 

 further on the big wall on the bund and a water jump. 

 Over the big wall, the jumping all round was very good, 

 though Unitv hit it prettv hard. At the water, which came 

 as a bit of a surprise, Carlton fell on landing, though Capt. 

 Agnew was not hurt. A hurdle only intervened between 

 the lanes into the Molla Hat Road, and then we beg-an 

 putting up the average of that peck of dirt that it is the 

 fate of us all to gobble. Mr. Rees came with a rattle on 

 the road, and Unitv and Freebooter also got nearer the 

 front. Oft' the road into the raihvay country Miss Theo 

 led. Damages second, then Freebooter, Leila. Caliban, 

 Unity, Sir Gareth, Flatcatcher and Queen, and thev 

 jumped two more big walls before they cast up at the lane 

 by the '' Old Man's Crossing." At the corner here both 

 Miss Theo and Leila were nearlv down. 



There was not much lane hunting before we again 

 scrambled through the covert on our right, and got at the 

 jumping game again, the order at the drop fence, the two 

 walls, and the bush and ditch this side of the Molla Hat 

 being Miss Theo, Damages, Freebooter, Flatcatcher, 

 Unity, Leila, Caliban, Sir Gareth and Queen. At the ditch 

 on to the road, the dust was so bad that those behind could 

 not see it, and Flatcatcher and Unity both narrowly saved 

 a fall. Then came the mistake, as owing to the dust and 

 the angle at which they left the road all the leading divi- 

 sion ran aside of the second last fence and only jumped 

 the concluding hurdle. The actual order in which they 

 passed the post seems in dispute ; but when the mistake was 

 discovered. Sir Gareth, Miss Theo, Flatcatcher, Freebooter 



