MILITARY STEEPLECHASING 255 



1844 



In 1844 the venue was again Northampton, where 

 three years before a contest of a similar character had 

 taken place in the same district. Sir Hussey Vivian on 

 that occasion stated it to be his opinion that those gentle- 

 men who had distinsfuished themselves as o-ood horsemen 

 in crossing a country generally proved the best soldiers 

 in action. The hour fixed for the start in the first race 

 was two o'clock, but it was ten minutes past three ere 

 they started. The riders for this race were weighed in 

 the town. 



The line of country commenced on an eminence close 

 to the village of Wootton, about two and a half miles 

 from Northampton, on the road to Stoney Stratford. 

 The starting- field was a large piece of turf called "Mr. 

 Higgins's Great Ground," declining considerably towards 

 the first fence, a bullfinch cut down. The next was a 

 steep declining piece of grass, soft, boggy, and ex- 

 tremely uneven, with a cartway across it, leading to a 

 high but thin bullfinch, beyond which was a small 

 meadow to the brook which divided Wootton and 

 Quinton villages. This stream had a breadth of about 

 nine feet of water, with high and very steep banks, 

 and was that which Lottery and Cigar crossed in the 

 Northampton steeplechase of 1840. On this occasion it 

 was also the most attractive spot, the horses having to 

 cross it both in going and returning, and crowds con- 

 gregated on either side. The meadow beyond the brook 

 was extensive, soft, and boggy, and intersected by several 

 shallow drains. At the end of it was a stout bullfinch, 

 and on the left was a hayrick, on which was placed the 

 first turning-flag. So far the line had been almost in 

 a straight direction from the starting-field. As soon as 

 the bullfinch was passed the horses turned at nearly a 



