REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE1 105 



appearance of another pig-headed brute, belonging to Jimmy, 

 and which he had occasion to remember later on, the thrice 

 accursed and well-named Bowrar Bill. The lotteries were 

 poor throughout the meeting, and not only did local owners 

 treat the Secretary rudely by not turning up at the specified 

 time, but when they did, they were accompanied by a lot of 

 people, who only came to talk and drink, and who made such 

 a row that the legitimate business could not be properly con- 

 ducted. As in those days the stupid plan was in vogue of 

 taking starting declarations at the lotteries, no lotteries could 

 be held till the local owners sauntered in at their own sweet 

 will, and this had much to do with driving away outside owners 

 and making the meeting bear the bad character which it took 

 years to clear itself from, of being, as far as racing was con- 

 cerned, " a family party arrangement." Perhaps things would 

 have worked better had the declarations, as now, been taken 

 at six o'clock, and the lotteries fixed for ten. This would 

 have given local owners, many of whom were hosts and did 

 not like to leave their guests till the ladies had left the dinner 

 table, ample time, but these simple expedients did not seem to 

 strike the Stewards, and so discontent was rife. Finette opened 

 the ball by beating Hunter, Dandynong and Fieldfare in the 

 Leger in very fast time. In the Derby Red Hazard had only 

 to face a rotten local beast called The Boy, who broke a 

 blood vessel, and was, of course, beaten. Two only, Roulette 

 and Slowcoach, in the C.B. race, the former owned by Messrs. 

 Arthur and John, won after a good race, and the day ended by 

 Mr. Freeman's Florican, with Kelly Maitland up, winning the 

 Behar Stakes. The second day's racing was not much superior 

 to its predecessor, Kingcraft walked over for the Ticcaree Cup, 

 a stupidly conceived race of weight for inches. Crossbee won 

 the Galloway race from the local duffers Spartia and M arigold. 

 Marquis hard held, won the Durbhangah Cup from Anarchy 

 and Red Hazard. Slowcoach won the Moorcroft Stakes from 



