The Shrewshury Cup — WliitcJmrch Racecourse. 5 



because two miles was considered beyond his compass. 



In a fast run race he appeared, a mile from home, 

 to be almost out of the race, and little Martin 

 did not begin to join the front rank until they 

 came into the straight, where some of the 

 leaders ran wide, and with a splendid rush, he 

 brought him up on the inside, and settled the question 

 of his stamina there and then. A real Shropshire cheer 

 greeted his return to the paddock. I hope next season 

 to see the Shrewsbury Cup made worth £500, for there is 

 not a finer long distance handicap run during the year 

 than this, following the Cesarewitch. Two grand 

 looking horses carried oft' the Steeplechase, in Red Hussar 

 and Old Joe, and, perhaps, both are much nearer the 

 top of the tree in their line of business than many people 

 suppose. CEnone made a good fight for the Hunt Cup, 

 when she got on to the course at the finish, not having 

 been able to make up her ground in the plough, which 

 told its tale on Chancellor also. 



I shall hope to see the New Steeplechase Course in 

 great vogue in the first week in April, when there will be 

 stakes for local horses as well as for the best of every 

 class. It is cheering to know that the receipts of the 

 meeting more than came up to previous expectations, 

 taking into consideration that the free list was a large 

 one. Several important improvements are on the tapis, 

 and will, I trust, be carried out forthwith. 



And now^ let us get back to the hunting. Sir Watkin 

 had a rambling, jumping, tumbling, and bathing day, on 

 Wednesday, when his meet was Whitchurch racecourse. 

 Sandford never fails them, and to-day's fox (or foxes) 

 chose a new line to his predecessors of last season, as he 

 broke by the cottage and over the Market Drayton road 

 for Hawkstone. Here an eager field encountered 

 probably the biggest and blindest fences in the county, 

 to say nothing of peaty meadows, .until he crossed the 

 Losford brook, and hid himself in Losford covert, where 

 the Shropshire luckily had done plenty of work two days 

 before ; forced from here, he popped down over the brook 

 below Bletchly, where it takes some jumping (the exact 

 scene of my artist's picture of last season, only the 

 reverse way.) Bank full now, it seemed to invite victims, 



