LIVERPOOL 123 



Miss Harkaway refused the second fence, Horniblow 

 and Kilcock being utterly outpaced. Just afterwards 

 Huntsman drew into second place in front of Anatis, 

 and very soon after the water jump was reached Sir 

 Robert, The Curate, and Shylock were among the miss- 

 ing. Xanthus had been travelling at such a great pace 

 that he was beginning to feel the effect of his exertions, 

 and was passed by Anatis just before coming to Becher's 

 Brook. Telegram, who had been going well, fell heavily, 

 bruising himself and his rider. Palmer, a good deal ; at 

 the same fence Tease broke down. On nearing the first 

 hurdle into the straight Anatis held a lead of several 

 lengths, Huntsman, Xanthus, and Maria Agnes following. 

 The last named was driven along to join the others, but 

 her rider finding her unequal to the task pulled her up. 

 Huntsman, on whom Captain Towneley had been riding 

 a most patient race, gradually drew up to Anatis until 

 at the last hurdle the pair were neck and neck. Then 

 came an exciting struggle between the two ; Mr. 

 Thomas called on Anatis, the mare eventually winning 

 by half a length from the outsider, Xanthus being a 

 bad third. This was quite an amateur's year, the first, 

 second, and fourth horses being ridden by gentlemen 

 riders. 



The story of the decadence of steeplechasing was 

 repeated at this meeting, and a chronicler of the time 

 asked gentlemen who extensively patronised steeple- 

 chasing to take immediate measures for the drawing up 

 of rules by which the sport might be honourably 

 governed ; for he attributed the evils and abuses which 

 had so long disgraced it to the non-existence of a code of 

 necessary rules and regulations. 



