ORGANISED STEEPLECHASING 51 



with several people, but at last, just as the clock was 

 striking six, declared that Norma was entitled to the 

 stakes, as no satisfactory evidence had been adduced 

 in support of the objection. 



1836 



This year the field dwindled down to the miserable 

 proportion of five, all of them being old friends. The 

 starters were Mr. Bryan's Red Deer, Mr. Elmore's 

 Grimaldi, Mr. A. Harrison's Prospero, Mr. Firth's 

 Laurestina, and Mr. J. Veitch's Billiard Ball (late 

 Metheglin). 



In the four-mile course were between forty and fifty 

 fences, but they appear to have been of a less formidable 

 kind than usual; three or four "easy brooks" came in 

 the line, also the river, which, however, was fordable 

 where the horses had to cross. The first two miles 

 were nearly all over plough, but the latter portion was 

 good grass. Twelve o'clock was the time announced 

 for the start ; but it was half-past three before the five 

 starters (there had been a dozen entries) were ready. 

 In spite of the presence of Grimaldi, Red Deer was 

 backed against the field, but there was really no betting 

 to speak of They began quite slowly, with Red Deer 

 and Prospero a little in advance of the others, until, at 

 the end of a mile, the favourite refused a fence into a 

 lane, leaving the lead to Laurestina, who fell a mile and 

 a half further on, broke away from Mr. Powell, her 

 jockey, whose shoulder was dislocated, and ran nearly 

 into the town before she was stopped. Red Deer, who 

 had been set going again, then went in front, followed 

 by Grimaldi and Prospero, but refusing again, left 

 Grimaldi to lead, and after a close race till within a 

 couple of hundred yards of the finish, he came away, 



