50 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



Mr. Freeman being the chief local one. It was at this meeting, 

 which opened on the i3th November, that for the first time an 

 objection was raised to the gold mohur tickets which up to 

 then had been the rule. Mr. Drummond at the first ordinary 

 put the question to the vote, and, after a good deal of discussion, 

 it was held that those wanting the change were in the major- 

 ity. The innovation was sensible, for in the excitement of 

 bidding, owners found it naturally easier to calculate odds 

 with ten rupees tickets. For the St. Leger, five were declared 

 to start, Jack Sheppard, Debenture, Medora, Monarch of the 

 Glen and Milliner. Mr. Blacker' s Debenture was made favourite, 

 selling for Rs. 380, Medora the only other fancied. Then came a 

 lottery on the Bettiah Cup for which Morning Star, a lovely 

 English mare, the property of " Bricky " Collins, would alone go 

 down with the public, her only opponents being her stable- 

 companion Vanderdecken, with Rockwood, and Silver Star. 

 " Bricky" bought her all to his own cheek for Rs. 260, and would 

 give nothing away. For the Durbangah Cup, Buckleg and 

 Abdalla were about equally fancied. Mr. Blacker like " Bricky" 

 had full confidence in his horse Buckleg and would not let the 

 public have him. On the course in the morning the band of 

 the I O5th Regiment discoursed sweet music, having followed 

 up the pestilential gun, by coaxing the lie-a-beds out of their 

 beauty sleep with " Slap bang, here we are again." A big- 

 durbar which was being held up-country by Sir John Lawrence, 

 then Governor-General of India, kept away a good many army 

 men, but nevertheless the stand was very full, Colonel Robarts 

 and his fine half Afghan sons. Dr. Rimmer, and " Bricky" 

 Collins now racing apart, being very much in evidence. 

 Debenture opened the ball, by scoring an easy win in the 

 Leger for Mr. Blacker. Again the favourite scored in the Bettiah 

 Cup, Morning Star with Dignam up, winning from Rockwood 

 who carried . the native boy Choochoo ; the long professional 

 had by BO means an easy itask ta get home. Mr. Collins had 



