328 HORSE-RACING IN FRANCE 



promptly withdrawn (as a ' hopeless case ') from the 

 Derby, but was good enough to beat all the French 

 horses (as well as Miss Jummy, winner of the English 

 Oaks) for the Grand Prix de Paris, for which there was 

 exactly the same number of French runners (seven) as 

 in ' Bruce's year.' It was a pity, perhaps, that the late 

 Duke de Castries' Jupin was disqualified (by the Duke's 

 death), as, although he was beaten for the French 

 Derby, he was considered by some good judges to be 

 the best of tlie French horses. 



The season of 1886 was memorable for the many 

 losses the French turf sustained by the death of various 

 owners of horses and promoters of horse-racing, espe- 

 cially at the beginning of the year. In January died 

 (suddenly) M. Vincent (at Tarbes), son of 'the Man 

 of the Mountain,' and a great agent in the transactions 

 between tlie horse-breeders of the South and the horse- 

 owners of the North ; Mr. T. Wigginton, the trainer, 

 nephew of Mr. Henry Jennings ; in March M. Eichard 

 Hennessy (after two days' illness), of ' Cognac ' celebrity 

 (at Cognac), who had some success on the turf with 

 Pretentaine and Entraineur ; in April the Duke de 

 Castries ; in May M. Bouy (part owner of Plaisanterie) 

 and M. Eene Dennetier, one of the two brothers 

 (Alphonse, predeceased, was the other) who were re- 

 garded as the ' Fathers of Suburban Pacing,' and had 

 the management of the meetings at Nice. 



The Duke de Castries, who was the head of the 

 confederacy that took the place of the late M. E. Fould 

 (with their ' haras ' at Saint Georges and their stable at 

 Avermes), died on the 19th of April of heart disease, 

 from which he had suffered for a long while, though 

 there was thought to be no immediate danger. 



He was Edmond Charles Auguste de la Croix, born 



