XV.—" GRUDON " 



I shall certainly never forget whilst Memory 

 holds her sway that wonderful race for the Grand 

 National which I won on " Grudon " in 1901. 

 Nothing like it had ever been seen. One of its 

 extraordinary features was that it was run in a 

 snowstorm ; all the fences were perfectly white 

 in their covering of snow ; the course was simi- 

 larly decorated, and the general outlook was 

 most unpromising. Was it possible for horses to 

 gallop at top speed under those conditions with 

 anything like safety over such a big country? 

 Opinions differed as to that point, heads were 

 shaken, and, as usual, those visitors who had not 

 to do the riding did most of the talking : they 

 saw no danger, having to take no risk. When 

 men have ceased to perform in the saddle or 

 have never appeared there — this is proverbial 

 philosophy — no fences are too big for them, no 

 country is too awkward, no feats impossible. It 



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