THE POINT-TO-POINT RACES IN '96 55 



Barclay, Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, Mr. Basham, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. R. Y. 

 Bevan, Mr. and :\Iiss Bagot, the Misses Blyth (3), Mr. A. Blyth, Mr. C. J. 

 Bury, Mr. G. Buxton, the Misses Buxton (3), Messrs. Carr (2), Major 

 Carter, Messrs. Christy (2), Mr. Cockett, Mr. C. ColHn, Mr. Cook, Mr. 

 Crocker, Mr. Dalton, Mr. G. Dawson, Mr. N. Dawson, Mr. and Miss 

 Docwra, Mr. S. Fitch, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Fowler, ]\Ir. G. Gilbey, 

 Mr. Newman Gilbey, Mr. G. Gold, Miss Gilbey, Mr. C. E. Green, Miss 

 M. Green, Mr. Green (Todds Brook), Mr. Harrison, Mr. and Mrs. R. 

 Hill, Mr. George Hart and Sons, Mr. H. W. Horner, Mr. Hull, jun., 

 Miss Jones, Mr. P. S. Lee, Mr. H. W. Lee, Mr. R. C. Lyall, Miss Morgan 

 and Miss M. Morgan, Mr. Morris, Mr. H. J. Miller, Mrs. Neill, Mr. A. 

 J. New and two sons, Mr. W. Nicholson, Mr. A. C. Oldham, Mr. A. 

 Peel and Misses Peel, Mr. J. G. Pelly, Mr. and Mrs. L. Pelly, Mr. H. J. 

 Price, Mr. E. Ouare, Miss Quare, Mrs. Radford, Mr. H. Savill, Mr. C. 

 Savill, Mr. and Mrs. W. Sewell, Messrs. G. and A. Sewell, Mr. H. 

 Sworder, Mr. A. R. Steele and Miss Steele, Mr. D. CunUffe Smith, Mr. J. 

 Swire, Mr. Tabor, Mr. R. S. Tilling, Mr. Tweed, Mr. Tufnell, Mr. 

 Tower, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Waters, Major and Mrs. Wilson, General 

 Sir E. Wood, Mr. Waltham, Capt. Cairns, Dr. Love, Miss Colvin, Mr. 

 Ridley, Mr. Tossetti, J^Ir. Tresham Gilbey, Mr. Avila, Mr. Caldwell, Mr. 

 A. Bowlby, Mr. Digby ^Nlaitland, Mr. Single, Mr. Willis, Mr. Roddick, 

 and Mr. Chapman. 



No less than fifteen faced the starter in the red-coat welter for the 

 ten-pound cup and the laurel leaves, but an additional interest was lent 

 to this race on its becoming known that two of the most stalwart com- 

 petitors* had a private match on the result, which was to decide the 

 merit of their steeds and the temper of their own steel. The amount of 

 the wager varying from one sovereign to a hundred pounds, more likely 

 the former, but it cost one of the rivals about ;^2o for outfit, what with 

 racing togs and saddlery, to say nothing of many hours of severe training 

 to reduce his weight. This, with lenten fare, how^ever, had the desired 

 result, and he arrived at the post as fit as a fiddle, and going to scale 

 very few ounces overweight in his ylb. saddle. 



" Duchess," a previous winner of this race two years in succession (last 

 year she was laid by owing to an accident from barbed wire), was made 

 a hot favourite. Jumping out of the first field — a ploughed one — over a 

 small drop, she made a nasty peck ; but her rider, Mr. G. Sewell, 

 recovering her well, held a straight course of his own on the right, 

 apparently going too far in that direction. On the left Capt. Ricardo on 

 his grey shot at once to the front, and began cutting out the work, Mr. 

 Jones and Mr. Price, still more on the left, laying well up, with Mr. 

 Pemberton-Barnes between them carving out a strong line of his own. 

 In something like this order they came down to the brook in a line, and 

 those who were looking on said that it was about as pretty a sight as you 

 could imagine, this heavy-weight race, as the eight or nine leaders, piercing 

 the fences abreast, charged down with a rush and an open front at the 

 brook and took it in their stride, and few indeed hit it off at a small place. 



The truth is that those who picked out the course expected the riders 

 would come at the brook much more on the left, where it was a much 

 fairer and easier jump. This plan, however, was entirely frustrated by 

 the orders given by Lord Rookwood at starting to leave a certain pond on 

 the left instead of on the right, the consequence being that they all came 



* M. H. J. Price and Mr. V. Barclay. 



