58 STEEPLECHASING 



amiss and both had been bled on the Sunday before 

 the race. The starting flags were planted in a field 

 on Hammond's End farm, about four miles from St. 

 Albans, and the winning-post was close to the turnpike 

 gate, at the twenty-first milestone on the Great North 

 Road. There were about twenty fences in the circle, the 

 most difficult obstacle being a thick double bullfinch about 

 a mile from the start. Owing to rain, the course, much 

 of it over ploughed land, was extremely heavy. As was 

 intended, Laura cut out the work for The Performer, 

 Lottery, Cinderella, and Midnight following. A gate, 

 however, brought down Laura, and Lottery took up 

 the running, holding the lead till reaching the last field 

 but two, where The Performer and Midnight closed 

 with him, all three jumping the last fence abreast. 

 Then, when it came to racing. Lottery's want of con- 

 dition caused him to drop away ; Midnight headed 

 The Performer and won by a couple of lengths. Lottery 

 being third, four lengths away. The scales were placed 

 in a cart at the winning-post, and when Barker 

 went to weigh-in he could not draw the weight by 

 about half a pound, so Midnight was disqualified and 

 the stakes awarded to The Performer. 



1838 



Closely following upon the above chase won by 

 Anderson's The Performer, in consequence of Midnight 

 being disqualified, a Metropolitan steeplechase, held 

 at Barnet, was organised by Newcomb Mason, Jem 

 Mason's brother. The promoter collected enough 

 money to buy a hundred guinea Cup to be added to the 

 ten sovereigns paid by each competitor. There were 

 three flags in the course, but the competitors were not 

 bound to keep to one side of them ; in fact the day. 



