42 CANADIAN TUKF RECOLLECTIONS 



already sounded, he, assisted by his friends, hobbled out 

 to the weighing room and was lifted into the saddle. 

 Once mounted, no time was cut to waste, the flag was 

 dropped and the five contestants were on their way. 



Nearing the end of the first mile D'Arcy Boulton, on 

 Sir Charles, got a tumble, one of the dragoons flop- 

 ping at the same time. One of Boulton 's hands was so 

 injured that he never afterwards had full use of it. 

 When these horses went down, Shillelagh was away a 

 hundred yards on the lead, and it looked as though the 

 verdict would be the Irishman first, the rest nowhere. 

 Entering on the second mile the positions were Shillelagh 

 first, one of the dragoons second, Waverly third, with 

 Ploughboy as rear guard. Coming to the second hurdle 

 on the last mile, Mr. Eomaine, who had commenced to 

 recover from his severe shaking, made a move on Plough- 

 boy, and soon joined company with the ''middle divis- 

 ion." Once over the jump it became racing speed to the 

 next one, which Shillelagh reached twenty lengths ahead 

 of his followers, but striking heavily he went down a 

 cropper and so ended his chances. There were now left 

 "Waverly, a dragoon and Ploughboy to fight it out. At 

 the fall of the favorite not half a length separated the 

 first and third horses. Whips and spurs were brought 

 into full play; the three rising to the last jump as one 

 horse and neck and neck racing for glory. Half way to 

 the winning post Ploughboy got his head in front and 

 after a most exciting and desperate finish captured the 

 verdict by a scant length from Waverly. 



The victory was a nlost popular one and the fact 

 becoming known to the great unwashed that a military 

 swell had loudly expressed his disgust at a gentleman 

 presuming to ride a race in such dress as Mr. Romaine's 

 accident had compelled him to appear in, they straight- 

 way made for the offending officer, who, though backed 

 up by his company, found it prudent to beat a hasty 

 retreat. It is calculated that at least ten thousand dol- 

 lars changed hands on this race. 



