Mr. Digby Collins 



penetrating to the bone. Canker was the result, and I never 

 trained her again. 



Sir Bruce Chichester now bought her, and bred three colts 

 from her, one by Alliance (a Stockwell horse, I believe), and 

 two by Asteroid (Sir Joseph Hawley's). These I never saw. 

 Their owner, however, described the Alliance colt as having 

 wonderful bone and quality, and though the other two were not 

 so powerful, the colt was a fine galloper in the field, and the filly 

 (to use his own expression) the very " spit " of her dam and 

 possessed of much the same temperament. Now comes the 

 tragic part of the story of this remarkable mare and her family. 



There was an epidemic of distemper raging in the district, 

 and Express and her family all died within a month of 

 pneumonia. 



It was a sad blow to Sir Bruce, and a still heavier one to 

 me, as, apart from my love for the mare, I was looking forward 

 to becoming the purchaser of one, or all, of her offspring, if I 

 thought they answered the description given to me. 



The following record speaks for itself: — 



Express, a rich bay mare (pedigree unknown, bought as a 

 two-year-old at sale of thoroughbreds at Tattersall's), 15.3 

 high, 6 feet 2^ in the girth. 



1 86 1 and 1862. Several hunt and steeplechases of minor 

 importance. 



1863. Won steeplechase plate of ^64, and silver vase at 

 Bangor, both in a canter, and beating large fields. Won 

 Northern Cup at Hoylake (16 St.), beating King O'Toole, 

 winner of Irish Drag Hunt, and two others in a canter. 



1864. Won Hunt Cup at Birmingham (13 st. 7 lbs.), 

 beating Jocular (12 st. 7 lbs.), and ten others. Won plate of 

 ;^64 and silver vase at Bangor (12 st. 10 lbs.), beating Puss 

 (11 St. 9 lbs,), and eleven others. Won Shrewsbury Autumn 



^55 



