REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



the turf right royally. In 1806 after the British Army had re- 

 turned from pursuing the fugitive Holkar, we find young Lieute- 

 nant Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert winning both the Behar Plates 

 at Hajeepore, Sir Walter only retired in 1852, and he was then 

 Major General and a K.C.B., but he raced all the time he 

 was in India. 



In 1833 the Hajeepore Race Meeting was a four days' 

 one, and was run by a Lieutenant Gwatkin of the Pusa Stud, 

 the races all of a mile and a half, or more, were run in heats. 

 Arabs predominated ; in fact no provision was made in the 

 programme, for any classes but Arabs and country -breds. In 

 1834 and for the next few years, a Mr. D. W. Fraser, who 

 had be^n a great racing man on the Bombay and Madras side, 

 was transferred to Sarun, and acted as Secretary ; he rode and 

 raced under the name of Mr. Hill, and won a good many races 

 with his string, both in 1834 and succeeding years, on our local 

 courses. A famous Arab called Hoomayoon ran at Hajeepore 

 in 1834. He afterwards, like poor Sting, dropped down dead in 

 Calcutta, after passing the post, having won his race. On the 

 third day of that year the Beharites witnessed one of the 

 gamest struggles ever seen on a race course Five heats were 

 run for the mile and three quarters, hundred gold mohur cup. 

 Four Arabs, and a country-bred mare, competed, the mare 

 Sapphire, broke down in the third heat, Mr. Charles' Godolphin 

 ridden by Mr. Fraser, proved the winner. In those days the 

 gathering of fair ladies was not as numerous as in 1896 and 

 scarce a dozen graced the ball room. Neither did champagne 

 flow as nowadays, our forbears contenting themselves with 

 the beer of old England. Hodgson's was the favorite tipple 

 then, Hodgson was a very handsome man and ran away with 

 the lovely Mrs. Trower, wife of an Indian Army officer, she 

 was one of the reigning beauties of Paris for many years after- 

 wards. Edwin Abbott, grandfather to Harry, was Hodgson's 

 partner in the Sun Brewery at Wapping, and Bow Brewery on 



