Mr. Alan McDonough 



The writer goes on — 



" Though Alan McDonough won on a number of horses, 

 his name is perhaps more closely connected with Mr. Preston's 

 Brunette, a mare which as a galloper and jumper had gained 

 a marvellous reputation, and might have won the Liverpool 

 in 1847 but for going dead amiss from an affection of the 

 throat. She went to quite an outside price, and early in the 

 morning of the day of the race, could scarcely manage to 

 jump a small fence. 



" Nevertheless, she went to the front, and when she came 

 to the water jump opposite the stand, was nearly a quarter 

 of a mile behind. Then, beginning to make up ground, she 

 challenged the leaders after jumping on to the course for the 

 last time, and ran a very creditable fourth to Matthew, the 

 first Irish-bred horse to win the Grand National, and to whom 

 she was giving much weight." 



A story was current at the time that about twelve o'clock 

 the previous night a Mr. Dycer, an old friend of McDonough, 

 rushed into the latter's bedroom and anxiously asked — 



"Is it true Brunette has gone wrong? If so I shall be 

 ruined. I have ;^2000 on her, and to-night I betted another 

 ;^2000 that she would start." Mr. McDonough offered the 

 disconsolate visitor what little comfort he could, assuring him 

 that, at any rate, the mare should go to the post, even though 

 it would be necessary to carry her there, and Mr. Dycer left, 

 to be followed soon after by the man to whom he had made 

 the bet against the mare running. The new-comer offered 

 Brunette's jockey ;^iooo if the mare did not start, but the 

 doings of the morrow showed how the "tempting offer" was 

 met. 



Mr. Alan McDonough died at an advanced age, at his 

 residence, Park Gate Street, Dublin, on the 12th of May, 1888. 



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