226 STEEPLECHASING 



1878 



The Hereford steeplechases were in former years 

 notable for their importance, and on the present occa- 

 sion, near Hereford, a course in which grass and 

 plough were found in due proportion had been carefully 

 planned. The fences were of a fair hunting character, 

 and as the course was close to the city it was altogether 

 a very popular fixture. Eight horses started, a slight 

 improvement on the race of 1877, and the race resulted 

 as follows : — 



Mr. C. R. Friend's "Filbert," aged, 12 st. 



10 lb Owner . . . i 



,, Powell's "Songster," aged, i2st. 10 lb. Mr. R. Shaw. 2 

 ,, G. Brown's "The Maze," aged, 12 st. 



10 lb „ Lawrence 3 



Betting : — 3 to i Filbert ; 5 to i Songster. 



Durino- almost the whole of the race Filbert was 

 one of the first three, and he won in the end by some- 

 thing like forty lengths, but this easy victory was due 

 to a chapter of accidents. Lord Hampton was beaten 

 three-quarters of a mile from home, and Mr. Shaw, 

 who was riding the somewhat unruly Songster, broke 

 a stirrup leather. This left Filbert in command, and 

 he won easily, as already mentioned. Filbert was 

 generally voted to be an excellent stamp of hunter, 

 with good shoulders and limbs and a powerful back 

 and loins, while he jumped the country in very good 

 style. 



1879 



By this time not a few writers on racing topics had 

 taken to lamenting over what they thought to be the 

 downward career of the Grand National Hunt Steeple- 

 chase and the Committee who managed it. Men like 



