MILITARY STEEPLECHASING 263 



broke clown, was out of the race. Culverthorpe ^ next 

 overpulled her rider, Matchless ran into the first place, 

 and the former fell at the brook, Lopez and The 

 Roarer jumping in. This gave Matchless a good 

 lead, but on approaching the hurdles leading into 

 the course Culverthorpe and The Roarer began to 

 draw upon the leader, and both came up to her at 

 the stand. The weight then began to tell upon 

 Culverthorpe, and The Roarer gained the advan- 

 tage by a neck, Culverthorpe being beaten for the 

 second place by a length. 



1848 



Leamington was again chosen, and on Tuesday the 

 2 1 St March the snow came down heavily, turning to 

 sleet and being driven about by a boisterous wind. 

 All traces of the line of the brook were obliterated, 

 and not only the meadows on each side of it were 

 overflowed, but on the course near the distance chair 

 the water lay to the depth of more than a foot, and 

 the breadth of more than 100 yards. As it was 

 impossible the brook could be crossed, the line was 

 kept on the left hand of it, leaving out the brook 

 and hill altogether, the start taking place at the dis- 

 tance, the horses going twice over the diminished 

 line, and once and a half over the more extended 

 one. Still, the course was in so many parts covered 

 with water, and with such an awful depth of mud, 

 that, though the chases were just practicable, it was 

 in a state totally unfit for riding over, and prevented 



1 This horse, like some others before and since, was doubtless bought 

 to win the race. He had run at various other places under different 

 owners. 



