VARIOUS RACES 289 



Grand-dam by Old Dart — Hambletonian, Mr. Fairlie 

 bought him from Anderson, the dealer, and his portrait, 

 with Bill Bean up, was painted by Laporte and engraved 

 by Romney. The artist selected his subjects just as 

 Bill Bean had collected his horse preparatory to jump- 

 ing a big bank, on the top of which were some rails, 

 while running in one of the St. Albans steeplechases. 



A steeplechase which came off on the i6th May in 

 Somersetshire reads rather like a chapter of accidents. 

 Eight horses started from Bean Wood, near Puckle- 

 church, to race to Taghill, a distance of four miles. 

 There are said to have been no fewer than ninety 

 fences, all of them with wide ditches, but the hedges 

 were not particularly high. 



There were eight starters, of local fame only, and of 

 these Taffy, ridden by Mr. Belt, was the winner, owing, 

 it was said, to the jockey's knowledge of the country, 

 for he elected to take a circuitous route, thereby avoiding 

 a good many awkward fences. Of the others, Selim ran 

 against a gate, and was knocked over ; Charlie had 

 seven falls, the last one landing him at the bottom of a 

 deep ditch ; while Blackberry jumped into an orchard, 

 from which he could find no means of exit, and only two 

 passed the post. 



1834 



In the history of organised steeplechases Bedford- 

 shire, and especially the county town, holds a somewhat 

 prominent place, for not only did many sporting races 

 take place within its limits, but it was twice in succession 

 (as appears elsewhere) visited by the Grand National 

 Hunt. The first steeplechase, however, which Bedford- 

 shire ever saw was held on March 22nd, 1834, when 

 the card was made up with a couple of races. The first 

 one was for ^50, for horses bona fide the property of 



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