Gentlemen Riders 



This was the last time Mr. Wilson ever rode Congress ; 

 the old horse, who, in the interim, had been bought by Lord 

 Lonsdale, being ridden the following year by Joe Cannon, 

 when, carrying 12 st. 7 lbs., he finished second to Austerlitz. 

 On this occasion the subject of our memoir rode Reugny, the 

 winner in 1874, and then the property of Mr. Gomm, who 

 started favourite at 100 to 15, but figured ingloriously in the 

 actual race. 



In 1878, when Shifnal won, Mr. Wilson finished sixth on 

 Lord Lonsdale's Curator, and the following year he was fifth 

 on Bob Ridley to Mr. Garrett Moore and The Liberator. 



After that he was without a mount in the Grand National 

 until 1882, the race won by Seaman, when he rode Captain 

 Machell's Fay, who fell, however, on the second round. The 

 following year he rode Montauban for Lord Yarborough, but 

 with no good result. 



In 1884 the luck changed with a vengeance, Mr. Wilson 

 winning the Grand National of both that and the following 

 year, on Voluptuary and Roquefort respectively. 



The victory of the first-named horse, a cast-ofT from Lord 

 Rosebery's stable, was a most meritorious one, this being the 

 first time the horse had ever gone over a country in public, 

 whilst his jumping throughout the race was of the most perfect 

 description. 



His racing career at an end. Voluptuary was sold to Mr. 

 Leonard Boyne, the actor, who subsequently appeared on his 

 back in the Grand National scene in the sensational drama of 

 the Prodigal Daughter^ then being played to crowded houses 

 in Drury Lane Theatre, Lord Rosebery's cast-off flying over 

 the water night after night in just the same brilliant style he 

 did at Aintree in the actual race. 



In 1888 Mr. Wilson again rode Roquefort, who, however, 



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