1 66 STEEPLECHASING 



Congress third. The pace, which throughout had been 

 good, now quickened on reaching the course, and was 

 maintained to the water jump. Directly after going 

 into the country for the second time Citizen began to 

 fall away. At the fence before Becher's Brook Zero 

 refused, and after clearing the water, Chimney Sweep, 

 The Liberator, and Austerlitz were leading. At 

 Valentine's Brook, Arbitrator, dead beaten, fell ; on ap- 

 proaching the canal side Reugny dropped away, and by 

 the time the race-course was reached Austerlitz had 

 headed Chimney Sweep and The Liberator. As the 

 competitors made for the straight Shifnal was beaten, 

 and before reaching the first hurdles Chimney Sweep 

 was in trouble. Here The Liberator headed Austerlitz, 

 Dainty drawing up on the whip hand. Before reaching 

 the last hurdle, however, Austerlitz again collared The 

 Liberator, who was first over, and won by four lengths 

 from Congress, who took second place on the post, 

 owing to The Liberator and Dainty not being per- 

 severed with from the last hurdles. Time, lo minutes 

 1 6 seconds. 



1878 



Mr. J. Nightingall's "Shifnal," aged, 



10 St. 12 lb J. Jones . . i 



Capt. A. Crofton's " Martha," aged, 10 st. 



9 lb Mr. T. Beasley 2 



,, Bate's "Pride of Kildare," aged, 



1 1 St. 7 lb ,, G. Moore 3 



Twelve started. Betting: — 100 to 15 Shifnal; 20 to i iMartha ; 



4 to I Pride of Kildare. 



This year the field dwindled down to a dozen (the 

 smallest field for many years), the other starters being 

 Jackal, Boyne Water, Verity, Miss Lizzie, Curator, His 

 Lordship, The Bear, Northfleet, and Tattoo. 



After one false start Shifnal, Miss Lizzie, Martha, 

 Jackal, and Pride of Kildare were the first to show in 



