1878] STEEPLECHASING. 15 



capital line, but there was no scent. Hounds got away close to a fox from the 

 Moss, but could not hunt him five fields. Drew Gratwich blank. 



Monday, March 25th, Brook House.— A regular woodland daj\ Hunted a 

 fox about for a long time, and eventually killed him by the Lawn Meadow. 



Ttiesday, Newton ?;j7%e.~Found in Newton Gorse, hunted slowly by Blith- 

 field up to St. Stephen's Hill, and lost. Did not find till we got in the woods, 

 ■then ran about some time and killed in the Cliff Bank. 



TImrsday, Brethy Mill. — Snow. 



Saturday, Bagofs TFboo^s.— Found in Bagot's Woods, ran a ring out towards 

 Blithfield, back through the wood, and on to Loxley, where we lost at the bottom 

 of Carry Coppice. Philips' Gorse, Park Covert, Aldermoor, Baker's Pit blank. 

 Bitterly cold day, and a great deal of snow on the ground. 



Stopped by frost or snow eight days during the season. Hounds out, one 

 hundred and eleven times; foxes killed, forty-three brace; foxes run to ground, 

 twenty-two brace. Killed in regular hunting, twenty-five brace. 



UTTOXETEPt STEEPLECHASES. 



April, 1878. 



This annual event came off on Monday, and was very successful from a sport- 

 ing point of view, but there was a falling off in the attendance as compared with 

 some former years. This falling off was no doubt to be accounted for by the 

 state of the thermometer ; the weatlier was bitterly cold, a piercing wind blow- 

 ing across the course and penetrating the thickest garments, while an occasional 

 hailstorm somewhat varied the prevailing uncomfortable ness. The day was 

 generally observed as a holiday at Uttoxeter, and special trains from the 

 Potteries, Stafford, Derby, and other places brought a large number of visitors. 

 There was a good attendance of local gentry. The stewards on this occasion 

 were Mr. M. A. Bass, M.P., Mr. S. C. Allsopp, M.P., Mr. J. A. Piatt, Mr. A. 0. 

 Worthington, Mr. G. W. Mould, Mr. T. H. Smith, and Mr. B. H. Buxton. The 

 various arrangements were carried out with admirable completeness. Mr. Bunt- 

 ing officiated as starter, Mr. A. A. Flint and Mr. T. S. Keates were active as 

 ■clerks of the course, and Mr. W. Carless, of Stafford, was the judge. The course 

 was kept clear by two mounted officere of the county constabulary. There were 

 seven events on the card, and the majority of them were fairly well contested. 

 Appended are details of the running : — 



The Uttoxeter Hunt Steeplechase, of forty pounds, for hunters duly qualified, 

 and which have been hunted with the Meynell, North Stafford, South Stafford, 

 Dove Valley, Atherstone, Albrighton, or Earl Ferrers' hounds during 1877-1878. 



Mr. J. A. Piatt's ch. g., Tynemouth, aged (Captain Cotton) ... 1 



Mr. G. W. Mould's br. g., Schoolboy, 6 yrs 2 



Mr. Walter Mynor's b. h., Confidence, aged 3 



Schoolboy won by three lengths, Confidence second, but both were dis- 

 qualified for not going the right side of a post, and the stakes awarded to 

 Tynemouth. Five ran. 



