Gentlemen Riders 



Chandler,' Captain." To which the latter at once replied, 

 " Put it down, Davies," and in a few minutes found himself 

 the richer by ;^500. He then felt able to start once more. 



The race in question which gave the " Little Captain " this 

 welcome "leg up" was the Worcester Grand Annual. In 

 allusion to the circumstance a sporting writer of the time goes 

 on to state : "Captain Little's exploits on The Chandler were 

 in all parts of the country, and it may be mentioned that he first 

 came out as a rider at the above-mentioned race at Worcester. 

 His winning the Grand National on the horse must be regarded 

 as a wonderful piece of luck, for Captain Little did not then 

 know very much about steeplechasing, and when it came to 

 the finish he had to fight out the issue with his old coach, Tom 

 Olliver, perhaps one of the most resolute horsemen of his day." 

 As a steeplechaser, The Chandler might never have been heard 

 of had it not been for the discernment and good judgment of 

 Captain (afterwards Major) William Peel. The Chandler, as 

 he was subsequently called, was bred by Sir Edward Scott of 

 Great Bar, who sold the horse to Mr. Wilkinson, a sporting 

 chandler of Sutton Coldfield, and he in turn disposed of him 

 to Mr. Garnett of Moor Hall, and this gentleman was in the 

 habit of driving the horse in his gig to the covert side. 



The Chandler, by Dr. Faustus, was five years old in 185 1, 

 in which year Captain Peel first saw him. The Captain had 

 driven over to Moor Hall to have a day with the Bonehill 

 Harriers, and the black horse sent over for him to ride turning 

 out lame, Mr. Garnett mounted him on The Chandler, and he 

 was carried so well during a brilliant five and thirty minutes 

 after a stout hare, that on the way home. Captain Peel bought 

 him by giving Mr. Garnett his black horse and twenty guineas. 



Nor did the deal end here, for Mr. Garnett not caring 

 about the black horse, Captain Peel took him back at the 



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