REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 57 



course on which they were trained, did not allow of real gal- 

 loping for horses with any stride, and because the Sonepore 

 course was not fit for use till so late. Colonel Robarts had 

 a fine string of horses, Rocket looking very well, consider- 

 ing the hard work he had done during the last year. Sir 

 Seymour Blane, Messrs. Milford, Wheal, Major Brown and 

 Mr. Howard made up the list of candidates for Sonepore 

 honors. 



At the first Ordinary, the moderate attendance affected 

 the lotteries, which were decidedly mild, though five horses 

 were declared to start for each of the three first races on the 

 following morning. Lotteries at Sonepore were again carried 

 on with ten rupee tickets. 



The races commenced on Tuesday, 5th November, with the 

 Sonepore St. Leger, for all maidens. As neither Red Lancer, 

 nor Knight of Avenel, were in a state to run well, while Orphan, 

 and Venture, were facing company rather too good for them at 

 the weights, it looked like Lombard Street to a China orange, 

 on Favourite, after her performances at Mysore, especially as 

 she was in excellent condition, and, with boozy old George 

 Gooch on her back, she romped home. First blood for the 

 Colonel. He followed up his luck, by winning the Bettiah Cup, 

 with Rocket, and then Mr. Collins had a look in, collaring the 

 Durbhangah Cup with his stud-bred rejection Eruption. Mr. 

 Blacker's Dauntless, a bad-tempered brute, must have ruptured 

 something internally, in this race, for on returning to his stable, 

 he laid down and died. Venture won the Moorcroft Stakes. 

 On the second day, the Colonel's stable had another outing, 

 for he won the Hutwa Cup with Rocket, and the Derby with 

 Diamond. On the third he walked over, with Rocket, for the 

 Civilians' Cup, and Bricky Collins won two events, the Arab 

 Handicap with Prince Alfred, and a pony race with Little Van. 

 Jimmy McLeod won the Hack Race on his own nag Lord of the 

 Isles. Prince Alfred was a beautiful Cape horse, but when he 



