28 THE CAMBRIDGE DRAG AND 



by several jockeys from Newmarket (includ- 

 ing T. Loates, Woodburn, Barker and 

 Rickaby). I heard that several fine tosses 

 were scored by Mr. T. Loates, and that 

 Barker finally won the drag after a punishing 

 finish, in which he beat Rickaby by a neck. 



The first year in which a House of 

 Commons Steeplechase took place was in 

 1889, and this pleasant and sporting meeting, 

 which then promised to become an annual one, 

 was abandoned about 1893 in consequence of 

 the sad end of Captain " Bay " Middleton the 

 year before. In 1889, I entered an Irish mare, 

 Peggy Dillon, but scratched her, and took 

 no part in the race. This took place in the 

 Bicester country, from the village of Hillesden 

 to that of Chetwade, over a stiff course, but 



