ORGANISED STEEPLECHASING 47 



made his headquarters, and was generally to be found 

 at the Plough Hotel, a house which was generally 

 full of sporting celebrities, usually bent on dissipation 

 and high play, in which the Colonel could more than 

 hold his own. 



At one time Colonel Charretie occupied quite a 

 prominent position in the sporting world, and in steeple- 

 chasing, then perhaps more in favour than it has ever 

 been, he was pretty well at the top of the tree, and his 

 active participation in it extended over a tolerably long 

 period ; but he cared more about private matches than 

 public racing, and not even the late Admiral Rous was 

 a more inveterate match maker. In 1833 ^^^^ Colonel 

 became possessed of about the best horse he ever owned, 

 Napoleon, and with him he made a couple of matches, one, 

 which took place near Dunchurch against Mr. Whistler's 

 Countess, over a four-mile course, and the second, ex- 

 tended to six miles over the same line, against Grimaldi, 

 the celebrated grey. The race gave rise to the greatest 

 excitement. Captain Becher rode Napoleon for the 

 Colonel, while Squire Osbaldeston was on the back of 

 Grimaldi. During the race a river had to be crossed, 

 and into it both horses and both riders tumbled. The 

 Squire was the first to scramble ashore, and eventually 

 won by a length and a half ; but he was objected to for 

 having gone on the wrong side of some flags. The 

 umpires, Mr. Kench and Mr. Crommelin, being unable 

 to decide the question, it was referred to Mr. Robins, 

 and that gentleman decided in favour of Napoleon. 

 Colonel Charretie, however, behaved very much like a 

 sportsman in the matter, declaring that rather than have 

 any unpleasantness with his old friend the Squire, he 

 would consent to the stakes being drawn, a course which 

 gave intense satisfaction to everybody. In this instance 

 at least Colonel Charretie showed no inclination to best 

 his neighbour. With Gorhambury he ran second to 



