STEEPLECHASING. 607 



second in the following year, and unplaced in 1881 and 1882. In 1881 (IVoodbrooK s 

 year), Fred Webb, the flat-race jockey, rode Captain Machell's The Scot, which 

 ran in the name of Mr. J. B. Leigh. The Scot, it may be remembered, afterwards 

 passed into the hands of the King, when Prince of Wales, whose colours he 

 carried in the Liverpool of 1884, John Jones being his jockey. The main 

 incident in connection with 1882 was the victory of Lord Manners on his own 

 horse, Seaman. Lord Manners was well known in the hunting field, and hunted 

 the Quorn Country for a season, but had little, if any, experience of steeplechase- 

 riding. He went through a careful course of practice and training ; but yet it 

 was a bold undertaking for a novice to pit himself against the most experienced 

 cross-country riders of England and Ireland. However, Seaman started fourth 

 in demand, his price being 10 to i, and, challenging Cyrus in the last hundred 

 yards, won a magnificent race by a head. In this year (1882) the race was 

 announced as being worth 1,000 guineas, with 100 to the second, and 25 to the 

 third. Zoedone, third to Seaman and Cyrus in the above race, had passed into 

 the hands of the late Count Charles Kinsky, who won on her in a canter by ten 

 lengths in 1883 ; and the following year will be remembered from the fact that 

 while the King's (then Prince of Wales's) Tlie Scot was competing, the telegram 

 announcing the sudden death of the Duke of Albany arrived. The winner was 

 Mr. Boyd's Vohtptuary, a cast-off from the stud of Lord Rosebery ; and what 

 made his success all the more meritorious, was that the horse had never before 

 jumped a country in public. This is the horse ridden by Mr. Leonard Boyne in 

 the drama of "The Prodigal Daughter" at Drury Lane. The year 1885 may 

 be passed over with the remark that Roquefort, a difficult horse to ride, won 

 comfortably in the hands of that fine horseman, Mr. E. P. Wilson ; nor is there 

 much to note of the few following years. Old Liberator made his last appearance 

 at Aintree in 1886, when he fell in consequence of being cannoned against. What 

 would have been the result if Baron Schroder's Savoyard had not fallen at the 

 last hurdles, it is difficult to say ; both he and Old Joe were a good deal distressed, 

 but the downfall of the former left Old Joe with the lead, and he won by six 

 lengths. A short time after the race all sorts of stories were in circulation concern- 

 ing the antecedents of Old Joe. He was said to have been leather flapping; 

 jumped for small prizes at little shows ; been driven in a tradesman's cart ; had 

 followed hounds, and played many other parts. The fact remains, however, that 

 Old Joe is enrolled among the winners of the Grand National. 



