Captain Henry Coventry 



racing into a national sport. The Haverford race-course 

 was leased by me for five years, where sport of a high class 

 was witnessed, and stakes of the value of ^500 were run 

 for ; but the opposition of the Jockey Club and want of 

 financial support proved unsurmountable obstacles, and as a 

 consequence I was reluctantly compelled to allow the club to 

 drop out." 



Needless to say, this chapter would be incomplete without 

 reference to the great services rendered to polo by Major 

 Herbert, who may fairly claim to have been the first to intro- 

 duce that now popular game into this country. 



Himself one of its greatest proficients, he took part in 

 the first game ever played in England, soon afterwards found- 

 ing the ''Monmouthshire" Polo Club, which won many of 

 the cups at Hurlingham, and was the first of its kind in 

 the provinces. In addition, Major Herbert owned and 

 edited the Polo Magazine, which flourished exceedingly, and 

 would be going now but for the South African War claiming 

 his services. 



CAPTAIN HENRY COVENTRY 



When it was announced that Alcibiade, a five-year-old, carry- 

 ing II St. 4 lbs., who had never yet jumped a country in 

 public, was to be ridden in the Grand National of 1865 by "a 

 swell in the Guards," who, according to the popular notion, 

 would naturally get himself fit for an event of the kind 

 on a diet of anchovy toast varied with devilled biscuits, 



225 Q 



