62 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



of the famous mare Nancy, Earl King, the two English 

 maidens Maybell and Adventuress, besides Detrimental, and 

 Black Prince, candidates for the Colonials in Calcutta, the 

 Arabs Saladin and Whitehaven, also four country-breds 

 Shamrock, Vonved, War Eagle and Barham, the last two 

 being maidens from the Barh paddocks. Joseph had many 

 difficulties to contend with this year, which prevented all 

 his horses being in as good order as could have been 

 wished ; two or three of them, however, looked fit to run 

 for their lives, prominent among them being Earl King, who 

 was this year a big horse. Nancy too, looked well, but she 

 blew so hard in passing the post, each time she had a fast gallop, 

 as to make spectators fancy she was short of work, and hardly 

 fit to compete with the great Van. The two English fillies 

 looked blooming, but were evidently unfit. Indeed, it 

 was publicly said that, owing to the state of of the Ghaziee- 

 pore course, they had not had a gallop till they came to 

 Sonepore, a week before the races, and were merely to be 

 started to get them into condition for Calcutta. Both were 

 much admired as fine specimens of the English thorough- 

 bred race horse. Among the country-breds, Shamrock was 

 the only one in Joseph's string in good order, looking a very 

 different horse to what he was last year ; then he was a bag 

 of bones, now he appeared a mass of muscle. The Arab 

 Saladin was in regular work, galloping daily, but not in the 

 form he went last year ; Whitehaven was only walking. 

 Still Joseph's was a very strong stable, every class of horse 

 being well represented. 



The next arrival was Colonel Robarts, or rather his 

 horses Rocket, Favorite, Bellona, and Growler, all names well 

 known to fame, and the maiden Longden, said to be better 

 than any of them. This stable was not, however, in its usual 

 force. The Barrackpore race course, on which they had been 

 trained, was under water for the greater portion of the train- 



