Major E. R. Owen 



1890 and 1 89 1, on Franciscan and Maypole respectively, whilst, 

 in 1889, the Grand Military fell to his share on St. Cross, 

 belonging to Mr. B. W. I. Alexander. 



Altogether, during the period we mention, out of the 812 

 races he rode in, he won not less than 254, the last one of all 

 being his remarkable victory in the Grand National on Father 

 O'Flynn. 



On the very day and almost the same hour that the Soarer 

 won the Grand National in 1896, Captain Owen was winning a 

 race at Cairo on a horse called Steel, his solitary mount at the 

 meeting. The next day a man showed him a telegram with 

 the result of the Liverpool, The Soarer first. Father O'Flynn 

 second, at Shepherd's Hotel, Cairo. 



" Damn it ! " he exclaimed, with a bang of his fist on the 

 counter. "Why wasn't I there, and not on this infernal 

 expedition ? " 



In spite, however, of his fondness for sport of all kinds, and 

 race-riding in particular, soldiering always held a prominent 

 place in his heart, and it was " Roddy " all over when, having 

 achieved the ambition of his life by winning the Grand 

 National, he should at once apply for active service. 



Directly after the race, in fact, he took train to London, 

 made his application for active service, and being at once 

 appointed to join Colonel Francis Scott, Inspector- General of 

 the Gold Coast constabulary, left England at once for Lagos to 

 take part in an expedition against a West African tribe. 

 After this he served with distinction in Uganda, and on the 

 Chitral campaign in India, finally dying in Egypt, of cholera, 

 during the Dongola expedition in 1896. 



The following lines are from the facile pen of his lifelong 

 friend, Colonel R. F. Meysey-Thompson, who has kindly given 

 us permission to reproduce them here. 



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