268 STEEPLECHASING 



each, with 25 added, for all ponies 14 hands 2 inches 

 and under, one mile, was won by Captain Campbell's 

 (R. A.) Portia, 10 st. 7 lbs. (owner) ; and a free handicap 

 of 25 sovs. added to a sweepstakes of 2 so vs. each, 

 for all horses, one mile steeplechase course, was won by 

 Mr. Baker's (i8th) Kathleen, 11 st., ridden by Captain 

 Daniell (38th). 



In 1858 the Grand Military was held in conjunction 

 with the Pytchley Hunt Steeplechases, near Northampton. 

 The conditions for the Gold Cup were that the horses 

 were to be the bona fide property of officers on full pay 

 of the army, staff and erribodied militia — 12 st. each. 

 The winner, who carried a 5 lb. penalty, was a geld- 

 ing by Magnet, owned and ridden by Viscount Talon. 

 This gentleman was afterwards the Marquis Talon, 

 well known on English race-courses and in society 

 generally. 



The year 1859 saw the Grand Military authorities 

 throw over the course near Brixworth in favour of that 

 at Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, an arrangement 

 which met with much disapproval. People said that it 

 was unwise to abandon a fine hunting country like that 

 around Brixworth, a locality "intimately allied with our 

 aristocracy and yeomen farmers," for a district owing its 

 chief support to the working and middle classes. The 

 Executive were accused of offerincr themselves to the 

 hiofhest bidder, and the Birmingham authorities offered 

 very liberal terms. The number of subscribers exceeded 

 that of any previous meeting ; but in consequence of the 

 course having been run down not half of the subscribers 

 named their horses, and fields ruled small. The Sutton 

 Coldfield authorities, however, did their share, and when 

 the meeting was over every one admitted that the 

 arrangements for the preservation of order and the con- 

 venience of the competitors and public left nothing to 

 be desired. A communication was forwarded to the 



