Captain Henry Coventry 



the hardest and best riders of the day over Leicestershire, he 

 had previously distinguished himself times without number 

 between the flags. 



His most important victory next to that on Alcibiade in 

 the Liverpool was the Grand National Hunt Steeplechase of 

 1867, which he won on Emperor HL (6 yrs., 12 st. 6 lbs.), 

 belonging to Mr. Chaplin, beating Alec Goodman on General 

 Williams by six lengths. 



There were sixteen runners, and the course that year was 

 at Clapham Park, near Bedford. The country was entirely 

 grass, and the fences, of which there were thirty-two, were not 

 made to be galloped over by half-schooled horses, but to be 

 jumped by hunters. Many thought the first obstacle too stiff, 

 for though the hedge was no more than three feet and a half 

 high, there was a very wide ditch in front of it, open, of course, 

 as was customary in those days. At the back of the stand, 

 after an awkward ditch and wattle, came a double post and 

 rails, the second rail being rather higher than the first. The 

 water jump was fairly big, and came within three-quarters of a 

 mile from the finish, and there was a stiff quarter of a mile 

 uphill to wind up with. 



An amusing story is told of " Bee " Coventry in connec- 

 tion with the National Hunt Steeplechase, run at Melton 

 Mowbray, in 1864, and won by Captain Smith on Game 

 Chicken. 



Soon after the start, Lord George, a headstrong brute 

 belonging to Mr. Studd, and the mount of an Irish gentleman 

 rider named Canney, overpowered his jockey, and in turn all 

 but knocked over Captains Smith and Coventry, which so 

 incensed the latter that he never left the offending horseman 

 alone for the rest of the journey, treating him to a running 

 commentary on his behaviour which, as a specimen of the 



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