"Old Buck," and Others 



and " Grudon," I am glad to say, has followed 

 his example. " Grudon " was certainly a great 

 'chaser in the snowstorm on that eventful day at 

 Aintree when, ridden by the Eminent Author, 

 who had a comparatively easy job, he won our 

 greatest steeplechase with immense distinction 

 and butter in his feet. I have never enjoyed a 

 more charming ride. 



The romance of this equine family is seem- 

 ingly inexhaustible. " Grudon's " dam, " Avis," 

 was bought by Mr Bletsoe out of a doctor's 

 gig at Wellington in Shropshire. She was by 

 " Sugar Plum," and as he had purchased several 

 of that breed and found they could gallop, 

 he gave forty pounds for her. His idea was 

 that " Avis " looked like going as soon as 

 he saw her. He had her over a few fences, 

 and also rode her with hounds. One day they 

 participated in a good run with the Fitzwilliam 

 Hounds in the Connington low country, when 

 "Avis" distinguished herself considerably, and 

 her owner found her to be much above the 

 average. He put her into regular work, with 

 the intention of running her at the local hunt 

 meetings. 



Just at that time, however, Count Charles 

 Kinsky — who had been a good customer to Mr 



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