3l6 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



the careful guidance of Mr. Jameson, winning. In 

 1843, ^^^- Preston had several racers and chasers, in- 

 cluding Knight of Tara, Great Wonder, Brunette, 

 Morning Star, Zinc, sister to Poacher, The Bard, 

 Mountain Hare, Harpy Eagle, Noble, Vallerie, and 

 Clear Air; and Great Wonder won three races, in- 

 eluding two Queen's Plates. Tara, a grey, by Manfred 

 won a couple of stakes ; and many a time Mr. Preston 

 " cut down " a Ward, Meath, or Kildare "field" on 

 him. Brunette won the Westmeath Urn, the Bellinter 

 Cup, Kilrue Cup, and a sweepstakes of 150 sovs. at 

 Dunboyne. During the following year, he raced several 

 horses, but Brunette was his only "bread winner." She 

 won the Westmeath Urn, Kilrue Cup, Foxhunter's 

 Stakes at Ormond, and 120 sovs. at Limerick. In 

 1845 M^- Preston's lucky star culminated. Norma 

 won some races for him. Mountain Hare increased the 

 balance at his bankers considerably, so did Mordaunt, 

 and Sir Herculeus's most distinguished daughter won 

 the Kilrue Cup, Westmeath Urn, Foxhunter's Stakes 

 at Ormond, the Meath Gold Cup, New Melton Stakes 

 at Cahir, and the Commissioners' Plate at Cashel. Her 

 stable companion, Hark Over, then a two-year-old, 

 and very speedy colt, beat her half brother, Mr. 

 Knaresboro's Hark-in, in a match for ^100 a side, at 

 the Curragh September Meeting. This performance 

 was followed up by running third for the Pagets, to 

 two first-rate horses, Chanticleer and Burgundy 

 Chanticleer divides with Faugh-a-Ballagh the honour 

 of being Birdcatcher's best produce. He was bred by 

 the late Mr. Christopher St. George, was got by Bird- 

 catcher out of Whim, a grey mare bred by the late 

 Colonel Westenra. As a racer the dam failed to pay her 



