NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLECHASE 243 



1897 



The National Hunt Committee broke new ground this 

 year by selecting Newmarket for the scene of operations, 

 and the race is memorable from the fact that for the first 

 time in its history it was won by a foreign owner, with a 

 foreign-bred horse, ridden by a foreign jockey. The 

 winner was the Vicomte de Buisseret's Nord Quest, by 

 Gamin — La Vague, and was ridden by Mons. Morand. 

 The Vicomte was a well-known Continental sportsman, 

 who had raced horses over flat and steeplechase courses 

 in France and Belgium ; Nord Quest was an entire horse, 

 bred in the former country. Twelve horses competed 

 for the race of 1897, the three first being : — 



Vicomte de Buisseret's "Nord Quest," 



4 yrs., 10 St. 10 lb Mons. Morand . i 



Mr. E. C. Smith's "Goldfish," 6 yrs., 



12 St. 10 lb Mr. M. B. Bletsoe 2 



„ John Widger's "Miss Battle," 



5 yrs., 1 2 St. I lb „ T. J. Widger 3 



Betting: — 8 to i Nord Quest; 10 to i Goldfish: 5 to 2 Miss 



Battle. 



Miss Battle, directly after a start was made, showed 

 the way to Valentia and Prince Hamlet, but on settling 

 down the second named made the running to the 

 ditch, when Longcloth drew away from Miss Battle 

 and Morgalyth. Golden Casket fell when a mile and 

 a half from home, and after passing the stand for 

 the second time, the same fate overtook Longcloth, 

 and Valentia had been pulled up, while Persiflage and 

 Royal Musketeer refused. Miss Battle still led, but 

 Nord Quest (who had all through the race main- 

 tained a good position) and Goldfish now ran into 

 second and third places respectively, and Miss Battle 

 being beaten on entering the straight, a race ensued 

 between the other two, which ended in Nord Quest 



