Welshijool Steei^lechases — Linnceus. 87 



enjoyed himself, and negotiated a very big place, en 

 route to the Whittimores the first time. No one can 

 say that the Albrighton are not in form, or that pace 

 is not accompanied by music wherever they go. 

 Indeed, I wish I could sing fitly the praises of all 

 concerned — of Scott and his first whip especially. Go 

 and see them, my friends, for another day in their 

 Gnosall or Penkridge haunts, and I will stake my 

 reputation you will not be disappointed. 



I can hear of no remarkable doings of Sir Watkin's 

 during last week, and can answer for a remarkably poor 

 day from Baschurch on Monday. A fox was found at two 

 o'clock in the afternoon at Grig Hill, that meant going, 

 in spite of being headed, and eventually got away over 

 the bottom for Boreatton, but we never seemed to settle 

 fairly on him ; and Goodall, instead of holding them 

 forward, cast back, and lost ground. He was supposed 

 to have gone to ground in the wood under the park, 

 and perhaps he did. 



TWENTIETH WEEK— Maech 9 to 14. 



Welshpool Steeplechases afforded plenty of fun, and 

 there was a large and fashionable attendance. The course 

 however, was rather too stiff for the present style of 

 steeplechasers, and they tumbled over it one after 

 another in a helpless way. Howbeit, as a successful 

 rider confided to me, the pace w^as more than once made 

 too hot to last, and we know how blown horses fall. A 

 good local sportsman in Mr. E. K. Mainwaring carried 

 off a couple of races, and has begun the season well. 



Bangor Steeplechases will soon be here, and few 

 reports of local training reached me. I trust that Mr. 

 Lonsdale's £50 for Shropshire horses will not go begging 

 for want of competitors, or else I shall be forced to 

 exclaim, " How are the mighty Shropshire yeomen 

 fallen from their high estate." 



Some remarks have been made on my encomiums on 

 Linnaeus as a country sire, and great objection has been 

 taken to his colour. I admit that there is a prevailing 

 prejudice against grey as a colour, except on yourjwedding 

 day. And yet how many good grey horses there are — 



