Mr. Cookson's first mastership. 131 



of ' Kettledrum,' which beat him by a length. ' Diophantus ' 

 was third, beaten by a head, and ' Aurelian ' fourth, a long 

 way behind. ' Kettledrum's ' next race was the St. Leger, for 

 which he started favourite at six-to-four, though he had been 

 slightly out of sorts just before the Doncaster meeting. At the 

 distance. Colonel Towneley's horse seemed to have the prize at 

 his mercy, but, a hundred yards from home, he was caught by 

 ' Caller Ou,' a sixty-six-to-one chance, and, after a desperate 

 finish, William I'Anson's mare won by a neck. The same 

 week, ' Kettledrum ' easily won the Doncaster Cup, beating 

 ' The Wizard,' which was an even-money favourite." 



Let us now turn to the sport enjoyed during Mr. Cookson's 

 first mastership, as recorded in Mr. Parrington's diaries : 



Saturday, February ist, 1862 : Met at High Worsall Toll 

 Bar. Found in the cover instanter, and away he went pointing 

 for Picton plantations, which he left on his right ; then forward 

 to Picton village, and on to the railway, which he did not cross» 

 but ran parallel with it nearly to Kirklevington drain ; then 

 turning he ran for the cover again at the Toll Bar, which he 

 did not enter, however, but left it short to his left and pointed 

 for Worsall Gills ; but swinging to the left he ran over Worsall 

 Moor, crossed Staindale, and away leaving Appleton Wiske on 

 his right, to Welbury village, which he left suddenly on his left, 

 and turned away for Deighton ; and still bending his course, he 

 again crossed the Wiske, and, running over the pasture in front 

 of Hornby Grange, he made the best of his way apparently for 

 Beverley Wood, but, strange to say, he turned away from it 

 when within half a field, and running for Smeaton village, 

 which he passed close on the east end, he again got to the 

 Wiske, and struggled on to near Hornby Grange, where he was 

 killed, after one of the best runs ever known in the Hurworth 



