98 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



Wales at its head, and the purposes for which it is now 

 being put forward, viz., the welfare of our poor heat- 

 stricken and hard worked soldiers in Egypt, to win for 

 them a plentiful flow of subscriptions. The Countess of 

 Bradford is working on the Committee, so Shropshire is 

 directly represented among the Good Samaritans at the 

 head of this noble society. Don't let it therefore be said of 

 us that while we are breathing the pure fresh air of our 

 native land in peace and happiness, we are unconscious or 

 forgetful of the duty we owe to our common humanity in 

 caring for those who are fighting our battles for us so 

 nobly in Egypt. Donations are to be sent, marked 

 ''Soudan and Egypt," to Messrs. Eansom, Bouverie and 

 Co., St. James's Street, London, and no doubt you, Mr. 

 Editor of Eddoioes's Journal, will also, with pleasure, 

 forward any local contributions to the fund that may be 

 entrusted to you. 



The first two great races of the season, at Lincoln and 

 Liverpool, have resulted in the victory of favourites, and 

 there can be little doubt that in Bendigo and Eoquefort 

 the best horses won. The defeat of the Shropshire-bred 

 mare Zoedone, was, however, too bad to be true. 

 Throughout her previous career, she never knew how to 

 fall, but here she not only fell in the preliminary canter, 

 but bungled at every fence, and eventually lay down in a 

 ditch, more dead than alive. I fear she was nobbled by 

 some rascals, and her owners and friends did not have a 

 fair run for their money. 



A general howl of disappointment was felt that the 

 Grand National Hunt Steeplechase, by the aid of Eienzi, 

 did not come into Shropshire. Better luck next time, 

 Colonel Cotes, is all we can say. 



Shrewsbury races are for the present under a cloud. I 

 believe only a passing one, and that uiider county manage- 

 ment they will be brought off before the year is out. The 

 present difficulty has reference to the price to be paid to 

 the Earl of Tankerville for the straight mile, and it is 

 hoped that his lordship will see fit to accept reasonable 

 terms, rather than allow the land to resume its 

 ordinary agricultural value. 



With the advent of spring, horse breeders should be 

 thinking of mating their mares, and I trust that our 

 Shropshire farmers will consider that breeding hunters 

 and roadsters is likely to pay better in the next year 



