Lord Marcus Beresford 



I lb.) winning by two lengths in easy fashion from eight 

 others ; Flying Birdcatcher, ridden by Mr. " Billy " Baldwin 

 ("The Lion"), being second, and Boyne Water, the favourite 

 and the mount of Mr. E. P. Wilson, third. 



Though small in quantity, the field was certainly not 

 lacking in quality, it being previously agreed that a better 

 looking lot of horses had never started for the race since its 

 institution. 



Bellringer, the mount of Captain Smith, made the running 

 for some distance at a hard pace, when he fell, his rider 

 breaking his collar-bone, and after this Burford had matters all 

 his own way. 



Probably the most interesting steeplechase the subject of 

 our memoir ever took part in, however, was the historic match 

 between the three brothers Beresford, at the Curraghmore 

 Hunt Meeting in 1874, of which their old friend. Major 

 Trocke — himself an eye-witness — gives the following graphic 

 description : — 



"It was a sweepstakes of 100 so vs. each, P.P., and was 

 run over the Wiiliamstown Course at the annual steeplechase 

 meeting of the Curraghmore Hunt in 1874, 3 miles, 12 st. 

 each. 



" Lord Charles rode a black horse named Night walker ; 

 Lord Marcus, a bay gelding. The Weasel ; and Lord William, 

 Woodlark, a grey mare on which I had frequently seen him 

 brilliantly carried with hounds. They all rode in the Beresford 

 blue, with distinguishing caps, and were started by poor Tom 

 Waters and judged by old Judge Hunter, both of whom have 

 long since joined the majority. It was a capital race, run at a 

 good pace for a contest of that description, and they were all 

 together, riding against each other for all they were worth, till 

 nearing the last fence, when Lord Charles's mount, Nightwalker, 



353 2 A 



