Colonel C. Rivers Bulkely 



" I never forgot this," adds the Colonel, " and in local 

 races ever after made a point of watching the riders, and 

 when I saw them getting beat would send along my horse 

 for all he was worth. You wouldn't believe the number of 

 steeplechases of this sort I have won, solely and entirely from 

 being in better condition than the others. Nowadays, half 

 the young fellows want to ride races before they learn the 

 art of sitting still on a horse, and because they have not 

 taken the trouble to get themselves thoroughly fit, are beat 

 long before their horse." 



" Talking of condition," he goes on, " reminds me, that 

 in order to ride Lady Barbara, on whom I won the big four- 

 mile steeplechase at Tarporley, for Frank Cotton, in 1875, I 

 had to get down to ten stone ; my only nourishment for four 

 days being three eggs and a spoonful of vinegar with each. 

 They say that when I got back to Chester I ordered tea for 

 nine and drank as many cups right off the reel. I won't be 

 certain of this, but I do know that, in spite of my enforced 

 privation, I never felt better in my life. On this occasion 

 I rode in a 3 lb. saddle, the most comfortable I ever sat in, 

 made by Harris of Salop (he could make a saddle if you like.)" 



Of the many horses he rode. Colonel Rivers Bulkely gives 

 pride of place to The Sprite, New Oswestry, Ben Nevis, and 

 Battle Cry, which last he describes as the best fencer he ever 

 rode steeplechasing. No less a judge than Tom Wadlow the 

 famous trainer, after watching his performance in a steeple- 

 chase at Albrighton, gave it as his opinion that the horse was 

 the best and quickest fencer he had ever seen. Unfortunately 

 Battle Cry went lame soon after, and was of no further good. 



A curious story is attached to Ben Nevis. 



"I bought him" (relates the Colonel) "from George 

 Fordham the jockey, for £"] 10s. od,, because he wouldn't 



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