22 STEEPLECHASING 



have oriorinated with some officers of the ist Life 

 Guards who were one evening dining at the "Turf 

 Hotel." The officers suggested the meeting and left 

 all details to Coleman, who was not slow in making 

 his arrangements. 



This first so-called St. Albans steeplechase came off 

 some little distance from the town in 1830. There were 

 sixteen starters, and Coleman sent them on their way 

 from the hill on which Harlington Church stands. The 

 winning-post was the obelisk in West Park. Coleman's 

 system was to test the merits of hunters by having a right 

 away race over a country to some distant landmark, 

 and not to permit the riders to see over the line and 

 break down the fences prior to the start, from which 

 we may conclude that the trick of making an easy way 

 at some difficult obstacle was not unknown.^ The line 

 over which this race was run had not been crossed by 

 any pack of hounds, consequently there was neither a 

 track nor gap from start to finish. On this occasion 

 Colonel Standen, belonging to one of the household 

 regiments, was umpire. Lord Ranelagh's grey horse 

 Wonder, ridden by Captain MacDowall, also a Guards- 

 man, was the winner, the second being a little Irish 

 horse called Nailer (which had only just been landed 

 from Ireland and was in poor condition), belonging to 

 and ridden by Lord Clanricarde,- a very fine horseman. 



^ In some race in which Jem Mason was once engaged there came in the 

 hne a stout gate, and by jumping it much distance could be saved. The 

 owner of Jem Mason's mount told him to ride at the gate, as he would saw 

 the top bar nearly through. So he did, but the trick was discovered, and the 

 gate made stronger than ever. In the race itself Jem rode confidently at the 

 gate, but as the top bar did not give way, he took a severe fall and no further 

 part in the race. 



^ The Marquis of Clanricarde, born on the 20th of December 1802, suc- 

 ceeded his father as fourth Earl on the 27th of July 1808, and was advanced 

 to an Irish Marquisate in 1825 ; he was created a Baron of the United 

 Kingdom. He was educated at Eton and Oxford ; married Canning's 

 daughter, and was appointed private secretary to his father-in-law. When 

 twenty years old Lord Clanricarde made his debut on the race-course at 



