The Colonel— Old Joe. 95 



crossing and re-tTOssin<:- the railway, quite beaten, and 

 was eventually caught on the railway bridge, after a verv 

 nice run of an hour and seven minutes. 



I am sorry to say that, although Thatcher re-mounted 

 The Colonel, and the horse carried him wonderfully up to 

 the check in the road, he there faltered, and was 

 evidently injured inwardly, for he died that night. A 

 great loss to the master, and a better hunter for a light 

 weight never went into a field. 



The Grand National monopolised the West Midlands - 

 on Friday, and never did a more exciting race ensue to 

 rouse the enthusiasm of the assembled multitude. It is 

 many years since twenty-three horses have competed. 

 Few expected the Shrewsbury Autumn Hunt Steeplechase 

 winner, Old Joe, to pull through, and yet he proved 

 himself the best stayer of tlie lot. This Avill make us 

 think more of our hunters after all. Old Joe had been 

 the property of a Scotch huntsman, and had cost c£30 ; 

 but his blood is undeniable, being by Barefoot, a son of 

 Lord Clif den's, out of a Stockwell mare, and his dam 

 being by Chevalier D'liidustrie, out of Truth by the 

 Libel. One of my selections, Savoyard, would as nearly 

 as possible have won had he not fallen at the last hurdle, 

 as he has more speed than the winner. He is a son of the 

 great New Oswestry. Gamecock, another fine hunter-like 

 horse was third, and Too Good proved not quite good 

 enough, as I expected, to win the trophy for the Irishmen, 

 as he had to leather away in the rear of Old Joe through- 

 out the journey. Our Cheshire mare, Amicia, was not 

 quite so fit as she might have been, and her big trial so 

 near the day no doubt upset her. Perhaps she will 

 improve uj^on this form with time. She jumped the 

 country, and beat more than beat her. 



Borderer could not get to the Hawkestone Hills on 

 Saturday, and reserves Baschurch (Monday) for the 

 future. He might have added to the_se notes a day with 

 the West Hereford at Pcmbridge Station, but here 

 disappointment reigned supreme, so he hopes for better 

 things ere these fine spring days have rung the knell of 

 the season. "' For one more week only," as the play bills 

 say — and positively the sponge will have to be thrown up, 

 except at the Wrekin and Longmynd. 



