SANDOWN PARK 225 



This, of course, with bell-ringing, before and after the 

 command. 



There was a class for fox-hounds at that show, and some 

 few reasonably good hounds were shown. " Bobby " 

 Dowson, who is still remembered as a Whip of that old- 

 world pack, the Bilsdale, had brought a great, throaty, 

 mealy-pied hound from those kennels, and he had a 

 biscuit in his pocket with which to make the heavy- 

 jowled beast show himself. The judges at once relegated 

 him to a corner as having no chance, but the little old 

 man thought he was first choice, and kept holding up a 

 piece of biscuit for his hound, and saying : " Nowt can 

 ekal this dog ! Nowt can ekal him ! " 



So engrossed was he in admiration of his exhibit that 

 the prizes and other honours were given and the rest 

 of the class had left the ring before he became aware that 

 he had got nothing. 



I ought not to have omitted to say that I became a 

 member of Sandown Park in 1875, and Blackwood and I 

 were at the well-remembered meeting when Goldfinder, 

 ridden by E. P. Wilson, won the Grand International 

 Steeplechase of 30 sovereigns each, with 1200 sovereigns 

 added, on 24th April 1875. The distance was four miles, 

 and there were twenty runners. Goldfinder won by six 

 lengths, and I remember Lord Marcus Beresford's Chimney 

 Sweep was either placed or fourth. The fences then were 

 tremendous. 



It should never be forgotten that Sandown Park proved 

 to be the salvation of racing in the neighbourhood of 

 London, for the old suburban fixtures had become so 

 scandalous as to be practically unendurable. Sandown 

 Park initiated the enclosed meetings, and from that time 

 forth all has been well, except that such race-courses have 

 been specially seized on during the war by the military 

 authorities, though ample land was available outside them, 

 and immense damage has been done to the interests of 

 racing and, by consequence, of horse-breeding. There 

 is no conceivable reason why Esher Common should not 



