90 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



also those beautiful Arabs The Earl, Shanghai, Sunbeam, and 

 Chieftain, and the walers Jehangir, and Driver. Ali throughout 

 the meeting behaved in the most generous and sporting manner, 

 often keeping his nags in the- stable to give other owners a 

 chance, when he could have won the race for a certainty ; this, 

 naturally, warmed all hearts to him. An Australian bred Irish- 

 man was there, named O'Shea, with a newly-landed and uncom- 

 monly promising, but obviously unfit waler called Harkaway r 

 which might have turned into a good horse, save for the cruel 

 bucketing he got at Sonepore when still weak from the effects 

 of the voyage. The local talent was all there, Arthur Butler 

 and Jimirfy McLeod had a strong string, and won a fair share 

 of races. Gilbert Nicolay was shaping very well, his long legs, 

 good hands and temper, making him the beau ideal of a race 

 rider. Tingey once said a very funny thing about Gilbert. 

 It was at the Chupra Races, 1879, of which poor Gwatkin 

 Williams was Honorary Secretary. Talkaway had just won 

 the Hutwa Cup, Blue Bell, Tingey up, second, and Gilbert 

 was third. When Gwatkin handed Harry Abbott the Cup 

 which had on its cover a mounted jockey with extraordinary 

 attenuated legs, Tingey, who was standing by, remarked, 

 " Why that cup must have been meant for Mr. Nicolay to win, 

 for the jock on the top is the dead snip of him." What did 

 not add to the fun of the fair of 1872, was the presence of Sir 

 George Campbell ; he had no sympathy for sport, and was an 

 unmitigated nuisance. The racing opened with Ali's Jehangir 

 winning the St. Leger from Phillipine, Jimmy's Gabbler and Mr. 

 Phillips' Longwood beaten off. Then Dick Turpin won the 

 Bettiah Cup, only Moonlight opposing him. Two only turned 

 out for the Tirhoot Stakes for C.B.'s, Mr. Seventank's Selina 

 easily beating Jimmy's Lady Hamilton. For the Derby five 

 pretty Arabs went out, Ali's two, Shanghai and Chieftain, first 

 and second. Jimmy won the Planters' Cup on his nice mare 

 Duchess; Harry Eraser, not much of a. horseman, second, 



