14 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



I bought horses for jumping, and schooled them, 

 and won races with many of them. 



I gave £60 for Uncle Tom from a young farmer, 



who I knew had sadly neglected this horse. He 



Buying a ^^'^^ irregularly fed, and I was informed 



jumper ^^ j^q^ g^^ ^ny feed at all at times. After 

 building him up for eight months, I won a big 

 hurdle race at Cardiff on him, beating Jack Good- 

 win on Lady Glenlochay. Also won a hurdle 

 race at Bristol, and sold him to the late Mr. Hugh 

 Owen for £300. 



I bought a cast-off from the late Alec Taylor, 

 named Collingbourne, and won a hurdle race on 

 him at Worcester, where the course at the top 

 turn was completely under water. We jumped 

 two flights of hurdles, of which only the two top 

 bars were showing above water, on the town side. 

 Collingbourne won the Cup at the Cheltenham 

 Steeplechase meeting, and I sold him well after- 

 wards. If he had stood training he would, I think, 

 have won the Grand National, but one of his hind 

 legs gave way. 



In 1879 I was married to Miss Davis, daughter of 



Mr. Stephen Davis of Woolashill, Worcs., the owner 



Marriage, of of DaINTY, DespAIR, DebONNAIRE, 



A"i]^?nty" Dewdrop, etc., on all of which I won 



sequel steeplechases. I was riding Dainty 

 in the Bristol Royal Steeplechase. The fences 



