204 STEEPLECHASING 



site, and the course near Luton, about three miles from 

 Rugby, was easier of access than was Market Har- 

 borough. Moreover, the Rugbeians did their duty to 

 the meeting by immediately raising the sum of ^400 ; 

 the new course, however, was of curious, serpentine 

 shape, and the riders were from first to last wheeling 

 right and left, and making somewhat sharp turns. The 

 fences are said not to have been very formidable, which 

 was perhaps just as well, for the course was like a quag- 

 mire, and it was with difficulty that the winner reached 

 home, though curiously enough all the horses managed 

 to jump the brook, which had to be taken both ways. 

 There were about ten or twelve thousand people present, 

 and from the stand a very good view of the racing 

 could have been obtained had it not been for the number 

 of horsemen who were permitted to gallop all over the 

 place. The race was started an hour late, and Green 

 Drake, by running third, won for his owner the £2^ 

 he had betted on his getting a place. 



Mr. Skipworth, who rode the winner, was the son 

 of the well-known sportsman and hard rider. Captain 

 Skipworth, whose many victorious rides on Gaylad and 

 other famous horses are still talked of in Lincolnshire ; 

 he was brought up in a good school, and in the hunting- 

 field and on the race-course was a finished horseman. 



Fidget was a mare bred by his uncle, Mr. George 

 Skipworth (one of the most prominent sportsmen of his 

 day, and a great friend of the famous Will Smith, who 

 was killed at Barnetby), and was owned by the late Mr. 

 Fitz Oldaker. Fidget was a very hot-tempered mare 

 and took some handling, and she had a knack of going 

 off at her own will and pleasure occasionally. When Mr. 

 Skipworth met her on the road to the course he was 

 surprised and horrified to see an arrangement of several 

 bits in her mouth, "as much iron as would stock a 

 blacksmith's shop." 



