ORGANISED STEEPLECHASING 53 



go to the town several days before the steeplechases and 

 "stay for weeks after them." He also used to tell how 

 Page, who kept the Woolpack tavern, once took ^87 in 

 a single day ; of the rush on the public-houses, and how 

 they used to draw the beer in pails and dip the pots in 

 the beer to serve the people fast enough, while a guinea 

 a night was the ordinary charge for a bed. 



In giving an account of his steeplechasing time after 

 he had retired to a villa near Barnet, he used to say with 

 pride that he never had any gate-money, as was after- 

 wards the case ; that he never called on the townsfolk to 

 solicit subscriptions towards a steeplechase fund, so that 

 all their business was brought to them as well as the 

 pleasure and sport ; while he himself had to satisfy the 

 farmers for running over their land "by sending them 

 dozens of wine and spirits." In 1836 there had been 

 some sort of opposition to the steeplechases on the part 

 of some farmers, and as the field was poor, the cry heard 

 to-day went up then to the effect that steeplechasing was 

 in a moribund condition, and that there would be no 

 more at St. Albans. 



Coleman, however, was not to be easily repressed ; 

 while he was so far independent that he asked for no 

 support towards his steeplechases, and he used to say 

 that the only thing he had given to him was a hundred 

 guinea gold Cup, the gift of Prince Paul Esterhazy, for 

 whom he had at one time trained. This was in 1837. 

 The Prince one day sent for Coleman and said, " I hope 

 that you will hold your steeplechases before I leave 

 England." Coleman explained that he contemplated 

 giving them up as he was out of pocket by them, but 

 added that if he (Prince Paul) would allow Prince 

 Nicholas to give a Cup to be run for, he would get up 

 a good field of horses to compete. 



Thereupon Prince Paul Esterhazy tapped Coleman 

 on the shoulder and said, " I will go and order one at 



