' ' ' SCEPTRE ' WINS ! " 



679 



Spain on the outbreak of the Cuban War. After leaving the Guards in 1887, 

 he was appointed to the 6th (Militia) Battalion ot the Royal Warwickshire, the 

 first to volunteer, at the end of 1899, for active service in South Africa, where 

 he commanded them, and was invalided home from Bloemfontein with a military 

 C.B. and the medal with 

 two clasps. During his 

 absence at the front he 

 was re-elected Member of 

 Parliament for the New- 

 market Division, and in 

 his last session he moved 

 the Address in answer 

 to the King's Speech. 

 Some years before, he 

 had bought the Cheveley 

 estate from the Duke of 

 Rutland, and rebuilt the 

 whole mansion on the 

 original Jacobean lines 

 with its old stone-flagged 

 terrace; while just beyond 

 'the Ditch" he organised 

 upon the Links Farm 

 a steeplechase course, 

 stands, and paddock com- 

 plete. Little more than a 

 fortnight before his death 

 his St. Macloii had won 

 the Manchester Novem- 

 ber Handicap, after hav- 

 ing beaten Sceptre by a 

 head in the Lincolnshire Handicap under 7st. i2lb., thus scoring a remarkably 

 meritorious Double Event which is not likely to be frequently repeated. This 

 fine horse, by St. Simon out of Mimi by Barcaldine, was sent to the stud in his 

 sixth year. Twice he beat the Derby winner of his year, once the St. Leger 



From the painting by Millais in the possession 

 of Sir F. As/ley Corbett. 



Sir John Astley 

 ("The Mate"}. 



