216 SPORTING STORIES 



became the prominent body, and the Altcar Cuj) was early 

 in the nineteenth century a much-coveted trophy. This 

 event was generally the principal one of the season all 

 through the thirties. 



In 1836 the Waterloo Cup, which has now grown into the 

 blue riband of the Leash, was instituted. It was of very 

 humble origin, for there were at the start only eight nomi- 

 nators, at £2 each, with a trophy added in the shape of a 

 snuff-box. It was won by a greyhound called Melanie, 

 nominated by Mr Lynn, but really the property of Lord 

 Molyneux, at that time a great supporter of coursing, and 

 grandfather of the present Lord Sefton. 



Next year the Waterloo Cup was made a sixteen-dog 

 stake, at £^ each ; and there was a smaller event called 

 the Altcar Plate, which occupied the position of the present 

 Waterloo Plate, for greyhounds that were beaten in the 

 first round. Next season, that is, in 1838, the Waterloo 

 Cup was a great advance, as it was for thirty-two grey- 

 hounds, at £2^ each. The Cup was won by Mr Ball's 

 Bugle, whilst the Altcar Stakes fell to Lord Stradbroke's 

 Madman. In 1839 there was another change, and the 

 Altcar Stakes was then called the Waterloo Purse for the 

 first time. Curiously enough, it fell to Lord Stradbroke 

 for the second year in succession, his Little Minx winning. 

 Mr Easterby was the first owner to have the best two dogs 

 in the stake ; in 1840 his dogs Earwig and Emperor ran 

 off, the former winning. 



Certio was the first greyhound that won the Waterloo 

 Cup more than once. This dog won first in 1850 as a 

 puppy, and then, after missing a year, won again in '52 and 

 '53. This performance, however, was nothing to what 

 Master M'Grath and Fullerton accomplished later. In 

 1857 a great change was made in the stake, for the nomina- 

 tions were then increased to sixty-four dogs, and the 

 conditions became somewhat the same as at the present 

 time. They now read as follows : — " The Waterloo Cup, 

 for 64 subscribers, at £2^ each; winner i^500, second £200^ 

 two dogs ;^50 each, four dogs £10 each, eight dogs ;^20 

 each, sixteen dogs £\o each." So that every one of the 

 thirty-two dogs engaged in the second round of the Cup 



