104 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



and Lieutenant Kinchant of the I ith Hussars, George Porter 

 again acting as Honorary Secretary. This was the first year 

 when the racing was reduced to four days, and great was the 

 commotion in consequence. In reality, as far as racing men 

 went, it was the best thing. The prizes were not big enough 

 to encourage an unlimited number of horses, and it got 

 monotonous to see the same nags contesting over and over 

 again. At the lotteries it was a case of dog eat dog. Social- 

 ly it was in those days a bit early to cut down the ten days, 

 for we had not so many meetings as nowadays, and the Sone- 

 pore Meeting was described alike in the Pioneer, Englishman, 

 and sporting papers, as the pleasantest ten consecutive days 

 to be spent in India. Kelly Maitland had the now almost invin- 

 cible Kingcraft and the evergreen Crossbee. Mr. Covey (a 

 Madras contractor named Bates) had that smart little horse 

 Hunter, and the ciampion Arab Marquis. Ryder was again 

 representing the Dacca Baboo, but had not nearly such a strong 

 string as the year before ; Anarchy alone facing the flag, but 

 not scoring a single win. Brewty was in charge of Captain 

 Davidson's string, including Dandynong, Red Hazard and 

 the lanky countrybred Lord Evergreen. Dignum had now found 

 his way to Tirhoot, and was training on his own account at 

 Mozufferpore ; he had with him old Red Gaunlet, Mr. Rain- 

 ford's Pirate, the English horse Liberty by Blair Athol, and a 

 lovely studbred mare called Slowcoach, belonging to Mr. Jones, 

 the Kellner of Behar in those days. Bertie Short for the first 

 and only time in his racing career, till he joined the staff of The 

 Planters' Gazette in 1884, was there with Finette, whom he had 

 purchased early in the year from Kelly Maitland. Great was the 

 excitement amongst the natives to see Bertie ride with his one 

 hand. Jimmy again had a tremendous stable, Fisherboy, Raven 

 and Fieldfare being his best. Mr. Cresswell (Gwatkin Williams) 

 had only a waler named Rabbit, no use at all. Polly Studd 

 had a mad devil called Miseltoe, and this year was the first 



