NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLFXHASE 211 



second and third. The time was given as 8 minutes 

 2,T,h seconds for the four miles, though it is probably 

 incorrect, while the sum of ^640 was taken at the 

 gates. 



1866 



From Yorkshire the executive moved to West 

 Somerset, joining in with the meeting held about two 

 miles and a half from Crewkerne, not far from the 

 village of Haselbury on the Portman Estate. The 

 West Somerset races had been held on the same course 

 in 1865, on which occasion a horse called Sir Patrick 

 O'Plenipo, belonging to Sir Henry Hoare, broke its 

 back in the first race at a drop fence. Experts said 

 that there was nothing unfair about the fence ; but as 

 others entertained a contrary opinion, and as there was 

 a great fuss made over the accident, the obstacle was 

 done away with on the present occasion. With the 

 exception of two fields the course was all grass ; there 

 were two or three banks, a few fences with slight drops 

 on the landing side, and a couple of thirteen feet water 

 jumps with good take-off and landing. The course 

 presented no great difficulty, and was on the whole well 

 chosen. The telegraph was favourably commented on, 

 the numbers being in red and the riders' names in black. 

 The horses, however, with one or two exceptions, were 

 rather indifferent in point of appearance, and their 

 running was about on a par with their looks. 



The race resulted thus : — 



Mr. Studd's br. h. "Shangarry" (h.-b.), 



5 yrs., 12 St Mr. A. Goodman i 



„ Yate Hunt's ch. g. "Golden Drop," 



aged, 12 St. 10 lb , Lawrence . 2 



,, Bidgood's b. f. " Helice," 4 yrs., 



10 St. 10 lb „ Bidgood . 3 



There were fourteen other starters — seventeen in all. Betting : — 

 6 to 5 against Shangarry; 10 to i Golden Drop; 20 to i Helice. 



