REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 2l 



Plate with him ; every race in the card falling to him. On the 

 second day only two races filled, the Bettiah Cup bringing 

 three to the post, two of which belonged to Mr. Hold- 

 fast, whose Pretender gave Van Dieman and Young Zorab 

 "two stone and a beating round the course. Then out came 

 Van Dieman again, and round the course beat Mr. Charles' 

 English filly Catherine of Arragon for the Doomraon Cup. 

 At last Mr. Charles scored, but merely the barren honors 

 of a walk over for the Welter, that ended an inglorious day. 

 On the third day one race alone filled, with two competitors, 

 Mr. Holdfast collaring the Civilians' Cup with Pretender, 

 Zorab his sole opponent bolting off the course, then Zorab 

 walked over for Rajah Modernarain's Cup, and sportsmen 

 went back to their tents to mourn over the departed glo- 

 ries of the once grand meeting. On the fourth day two 

 races filled, Pretender winning the Turf Club Cup from 

 Boomerang, and then Mr. Charles sent out two to win a two 

 hundred rupee purse, Mr. Holdfast entering a duffer to 

 make a race. One race won by Mr. Charles with Boomer- 

 rang on the last day, all other events failing to fill, ended a 

 truly awful meeting, enough to break the heart of all connect- 

 ed with it. To pass the time, hack races and foot races were 

 got up. But the cup of Mr. Hewett was full to overflowing, 

 and feeling the utter hopelessness of rectifying matters, he 

 resigned in toto, and said some one else might take up the 

 reins, and who could blame him. 



Far enough afield the Stewards had to go to find any 

 one bold enough to endeavour to restore the fallen fortunes 

 of Sonepore, but Arrah came to the rescue, Mr. R. J. 

 Dickenson of that station volunteering to take up the thankless 

 post of Honorary Secretary, and as early in 1851 as the first 

 of February a programme was published for a five days' meeting, 

 commencing on the 5th November. But the deterioration 

 of Sonepore, could scarcely be attributed to mismanagement, 



