Gentlemen Riders 



to Lord Stamford, who, starting at 40 to i, fell at Bechers 

 Brook in the first round. 



At the time we speak of there was no more consistent 

 supporter of steeplechasing than the late Duke of Hamilton, 

 there being hardly a meeting of any consequence either in 

 England or the Continent where the pretty cerise and French 

 grey colours were not a familiar feature, and on these occasions 

 they were invariably donned by the popular " Peter," as Mr. 

 Crawshaw was familiarly known to his friends. 



The latter's first winning steeplechase mount for Duke 

 " Rufus " was on Maurepas at Liverpool, quickly followed by 

 another at the same place on Souvenance. Soon after, he won 

 the Croydon Hurdle Race on Crystal. The latter, though 

 a real good horse, was a terrific puller ; and the weather and 

 his hands being correspondingly cold, coupled with the know- 

 ledge that the Duke had backed his mount for what, even in 

 those gambling days, was considered a large sum of money, 

 naturally made Mr. Crawshaw feel a bit anxious — unnecessarily 

 so as it turned out, Crystal having matters all his own way at 

 the finish. 



About this time Mr. Crawshaw used to go over to Paris 

 every Saturday for Sunday's racing, and one summer he never 

 missed for eleven consecutive weeks, returning on the Monday 

 following. 



On the only occasion a jumping race ever took place at 

 Longchamps, Mr. Crawshaw played a prominent part. The 

 Shah of Persia, who was in Paris at the time, having expressed 

 a wish to see some jumping, a hurdle race was arranged 

 expressly for his benefit — two miles over eight hurdles. And 

 that the august visitor might have an uninterrupted view, four 

 of these were placed opposite the stand, close to the winning- 

 post, and the other four on the far side facing the stand — all in 



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