224 STEEPLECHASING 



1876 



For the first time in the history of the Grand 

 National Hunt, the steeplechase this year was taken 

 to Scotland, it being run at the Bogside (Irvine) 

 meeting. The course was about an hour's journey 

 by rail from Glasgow ; the turf was excellent, and the 

 line if not phenomenally formidable was well adapted 

 for testing the capacity of a hunter, while one or two of 

 the fences were difficult enough. The course, which 

 had a coal pit in the middle of it, was remarkable for 

 the fact that the famous Lord Waterford once rode 

 three winners in the same afternoon over it. Nine 

 horses went to the post, and if quantity was lacking it 

 was certainly made up for in quality, as perhaps a better 

 lookinof lot of horses had never started for this race 

 since its institution. The placed horses were : — 



Mr. G. Ballard's " Burford," 5 yrs., 



12 St. I lb Lord M. Beresford i 



,, J. M. Brooks's "Flying Bird- 

 catcher," 4 yrs., 10 St. 10 lb. Capt. Baldwin. . 2 

 ,, J. Jessop's "Boyne Water," 4 



yrs., 10 St. ID lb Mr. E. P. Wilson . 3 



Betting: — 5 to 2 Burford; 10 to 1 Flying Birdcatcher; 6 to 4 

 Boyne Water. 



Although Bellringer made the running, it was at a 

 slow pace only, and eventually Bellringer came down. 

 Captain Smith (his rider) breaking his collar-bone. 

 Some distance from home Burford took the lead and 

 won easily by a couple of lengths ; a bad third. 



.877 



The Grand National Hunt Committee, for the second 

 time in the history of the steeplechase, visited Gotten- 



