138 STEEPLECHASING 



what notorious mare Fan, who subsequently gave her 

 name to the second fence, afterwards known as "Fan's 

 fence," The starters this year included that wonderful 

 little pony Globule, Astrolabe, Hall Court, and White- 

 hall. There was a capital start, and except old Thomas- 

 town and Havelock who refused (the latter twice), all the 

 horses jumped the second fence in the line ; Havelock 

 unseated his jockey. On jumping into the race-course 

 for the first time there were thirteen horses so close 

 together that they might have been covered with the 

 proverbial sheet. Without much alteration the second 

 round was completed, and about 400 yards from home 

 the little Globule, Fan, Shangarry, and Cortolvin were 

 the first four, and then little by little the last-named 

 began to creep up and eventually won somewhat easily 

 by five lengths, with four lengths between the second 

 and third. The Duke of Hamilton is said to have won 

 about ^11,000 over the race. Little Frank and Banker 

 broke down in the course of the first round. Again it 

 was said that the fences had been cut down and that 

 there was very little to jump, one writer sadly remarking, 

 " Becker's Brook is a brook no longer, Valentine's ditto 

 has disappeared, the water jump in front of the stand 

 is destitute of 'sensation,' and all the fences are of the 

 most easy description," and he pleaded hard for "some- 

 thing that would put an effectual stopper on some of our 

 casts off from the 'flat.'" Cortolvin's win was some- 

 what of a surprise, as many people considered him a 

 soft-hearted horse, and one who preferred three miles 

 to four. 



