THE RACE OF BEL VOIR 



bone, hunting powers, nose, symmetry, and colour." He has 

 at present three dog hounds which in their year won first 

 prizes when they were judged as puppies : Melton by Sham- 

 rock, Lucifer by Gordon, and Valiant by Valiant. Charles 

 Brackley, the veteran huntsman of Mr. Garth's, pays a tribute 

 to the excellence of some young hounds by Victor, which 

 came to the Twyford kennels in a draft from Belvoir. Robert 

 Cotesworth, now huntsman to Lord Bathurst (V.W.H.), was 

 formerly whipper-in to F. Gillard at Belvoir, and finds that 

 blood suits him well in the beautiful little country he hunts 

 over. His testimony runs : " The best strains, I think, from 

 Belvoir are in the old Weathergage Hne. We have hounds 

 by Gambler — he is by Weathergage ; Nominal — he is by 

 Gambler ; and some by Graphic — he is also by Gambler, — all 

 excellent hounds. Belvoir Donovan has also been used here, 

 but I cannot say I quite care for the sort ; he was sired by 

 Rufiford Galliard, who everybody knows was a ' wrong un,' 

 and the fault is bound to come out in one generation or 

 another. We have some by Belvoir Prodigal — he was by 

 Pirate. Those do not do so well as they might, and I must 

 adhere to the Weathergage Gambler sort, in preference to any 

 others. I have two couple of bitches in this year's entry by 

 Belvoir Watchman — he is by Nominal, and they are wonder- 

 ful smart hounds in chase ; as well as getting working qualities, 

 one gets good looks also. Belvoir Gambler was, I should 

 think, in his day, the best-looking hound ever bred at Belvoir. 

 In the season '90-91 I believe he had eighty-one or ninety- 

 one bitches from different kennels, independent of his service 

 at home. I have some ' clinking ' bitches by Brocklesby 

 Acrobat — he was by Belvoir Grappler, and Grappler by 

 Fencer, out of Gratitude, Gambler's dam." John Scott, of 

 the Albrighton, " sticks to the Gambler and Nominal sort 

 as much as he can." T. Stratton, of the South and West 

 Wilts, " likes Belvoir blood as a rule ; they get good workers 

 and good constitutions." Frank Bartlett, Lord Fitzwilliam's 

 huntsman, goes to Belvoir now, as the Fitzwilliam used to 

 help Belvoir in bygone times. " I used both Gambler and 

 Gameboy, brothers, by Weathergage, which there is no doubt 



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