The Rev. E. T. Drake 



for its own, it deprived the World of Sport of the services 

 of one who, otherwise, must have inevitably attained to the 

 very highest honours as a gentleman rider. 



As it was, with the exception of a few hunt steeplechases in 

 which he took part with more or less success when he was 

 at Oxford, the only important race Mr. Drake ever rode 

 in, previous to being ordained, was the Grand National of 

 i860, won by the still living Mr. Thomas Pickernell (Mr. 

 Thomas) on Anatis, after a great race with the late Captain 

 Townley on The Huntsman, when, riding as Mr. " Ekard," 

 he had the " leg up " on that celebrated horse Bridegroom, on 

 which he finished sixth. 



Bridegroom, it may be remembered, won the National Hunt 

 Steeplechase the same year, the first ever run for, in the 

 hands of the late Mr. E. C. Burton, familiarly known as 

 " Doughey " Burton, and one of the most brilliant horsemen 

 over a country of his day. 



Though the fact of his taking Holy Orders rendered 

 steeplechase riding out of the question, there were plenty 

 of other amusements left open to him in which the new rector 

 of Shardeloes was free to indulge without giving offence to 

 the powers that be, notably hunting and cricket, and in both 

 of these he indulged to his heart's content, dividing his 

 attentions between the two with the greatest impartiality ; 

 his presence at the wickets being as familiar to the on-lookers 

 at Lords or the Oval in the summer months, as it was to 

 the followers of the Baron, or Mr. Selby Lowndes, or the 

 Bicester, later on in the year. 



With hands and seat perfection, a more elegant horseman 

 than the subject of our memoir has probably never been 

 seen, and to watch him sailing away at his ease over the 

 fences in the Vale was a lesson in horsemanship in itself 



lOI 



