THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD. 285 



National Steeplechase of fifteen sovs. each, lOO added, 

 Aveight for age, three miles, and nine ran. Before 

 they had gone far, a speedy mare named The Fawn 

 (belonging to Mr. Power) was killed, and ere half 

 the journey had been traversed the contest was con- 

 fined to a quartette of good horses and good men — Mr. 

 Colgan on Erin, Blueskin ridden by his trainer, L. 

 Byrne, Fra Diavolo steered by the famous John Dennis 

 (the ever-to-be-lamented master of the " Blazers"), and 

 Mr. Mat Dunne of Punchestown (a true and popular 

 sportsman) on the game Fanny Elssler — a daughter 

 of Smallhopes. It was a terrible struggle, but Fanny 

 was first, after a great finish with Fra Diavolo. The 

 winner won many races, and only that Brunette was 

 her superior, more than two Kilrue Cups would have 

 been placed to her owner's credit. The mare was at 

 one time the property of Mr. W. M'Grane, who now 

 resides at Montpelier-hill. He used to ride her as a 

 hack, never thinking that she was such a sterling bit 

 of goods, although he was then, as now, an excellent 

 judge of hunters, racers, and chasers. He often rode 

 to his farm, situate about seven miles from Dublin, and 

 one day while he was there, the Kildare Hounds hap- 

 pened to pass by, on their way to draw a covert in the 

 neighbourhood, and Mr. M'Grane joined the hunt, 

 although Fanny Elssler was not all up to his weight nor 

 in very good trim. A fox was found, and a splendid 

 run over the "cream" of Kildare ensued. Mr. 

 M'Grane and the late Lord Howth, who, 1 need 

 scarcely add, was a "clinker," cut down a large field, 

 and Mr. Dunne having heard of the performance, 

 Fanny Elssler soon afterwards became his property. 

 That year Henry won a plate of 46 sovs., and also a 



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