NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLFXHASE 229 



own, and Four Oaks Park, Birmingham (the scene of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society's Show in 1898), was 

 fixed upon. The Park was something like 240 acres 

 in extent, and a capital course, or rather two courses — 

 one for llat racing, the other for steeplechases — was laid 

 out ; and upon this new venture the Grand National 

 Hunt Committee determined to hold the Grand National 

 Hunters' race of the year. There were eight starters, 

 and the placed horses were : — 



Mr. S. Talbot's " Pride of Prussia," 



4 yrs., 10 St. 10 lb Mr. E. P. Wilson i 



„ W. H. P. Jenkins's " Llanfrechfa," 



6 yrs., 12 St. lo lb Capt. Smith . . 2 



„ E. H. Wood's "Baker Pacha," 



aged, 12 St. 10 lb Mr. Cunningham 3 



Betting : — 5 to 2 Pride of Prussia ; 9 to 4 Llanfrechfa ; 9 to 2 

 Baker Pacha. 



Baker Pacha made the running till within about half 

 a mile of home, where Pride of Prussia and Llanfrechfa 

 closed with him. Baker Pacha, however, was beaten 

 before entering the straight, and the other two finished 

 a close and severe race home. Pride of Prussia winning 

 by two lengths ; a bad third. None of the others passed 

 the post. 



1882 



For the second time Derby was selected, and in the 

 interval which had elapsed Mr. Ford had taken great 

 pains with the fences, with the result that this somewhat 

 trying course was perhaps better than before. Although 

 the fences all required jumping there was nothing unfair 

 about them. It was hoped that a better field than half- 

 a-dozen would have been seen for the steeplechase, 

 for six was a sad falling off from the sixteen which 

 ran at Derby in 1879, and though they were a good- 



