354 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



lord, who was one of the stewards, to have some tan 

 put on the landing side of this fence. " Oh, no," he 

 said, " you want to have the ground soft for your old 

 crock." Ilis Lordship had a horse in the race ; he 

 was backed for a "pile" of money ; and at this very 

 fence, first time round, he fell on landing, so that his 

 Lordship, perhaps, by not saving the crock upset the 

 pot. At this fence, second time round, Mr. Preston's 

 mare broke down, and ended her racing career. She 

 certainly was a " clinker." Mr. M'Donogh won nine- 

 teen races on her, including the Hunt Cup at Birr, 

 Hunt Cup at Cahir, and Hunt Cup at Cashel, two 

 years in succession. She won the Kilrue Cup four 

 times in succession, ridden three times by Mr. 

 M'Donogh. Never did horse and rider understand 

 each other better ; their confidence was reciprocal ; 

 and long after the hand that pens these lines returns 

 to the dust, "Allen " M'Donogh and Brunette will be 

 remembered in Ireland, and stories related of their 

 wonderful achievements. She was a dark brown, about 

 15-2 high, with great depth of girth, and powerful 

 quarters, and was more remarkable for gameness and 

 brilliant fencing than speed. She had a few foals ; 

 but, strange to say, none of them were good. Indeed, 

 I think they never started, as they were tried and found 

 wanting. 



One of the most marvellous feats of horsemanship 

 on record, was performed by the subject of this bio- 

 graphy, and occurred when he was riding Sailor for 

 the principal race at Bandon, in the spring of 1835. 

 Ten started for it, including Monarch and Valentine, 

 both great chasers. Sailor, when leading, fell at the 

 fourth last fence, Mr. M'Donogh very narrowly escaped 



