92 The PytcJiley Hunt, Past and Present, [chap m. 



three times, occupying respectively 9.25, 8.15, and 9.40 

 minutes, and that Ikey Solomon occupied 12 minutes 

 in completing his journey, and proved himself the black 

 sheep of the lot. After the match, Mr. Osbaldeston gave 

 a plate of fifty pounds to be competed for by the horses 

 he had ridden, which was won by the Smolensko colt, 

 Donegani being second. No sooner had the task been 

 completed than people began to say any one conld per- 

 form the same feat with the same horses. Nettled at 

 this, the ^^ Squire ^^ wrote the following letter to the 

 editor of BelVs Life in London : — 



" Sir, — There are many men, I have no doubt, who can do the dis- 

 tance in the time I did it, who ride seven stone, if they are to be 

 called men. Many foxhunters, and even jockeys, before the match 

 thousrht it impossible to accomplish it in nine hours, who now say that 

 any old woman could do it. It is the pace which a man is compelled to 

 maintain, with such short intervals between every four miles, that 

 distresses him, the muscles not having time to recover. I never was 

 afraid of anything except sudden indisposition. Having been much 

 chaffed about the match, and told that a jockey would do the distance 

 in ei<^ht hours, I send the following challenge to the whole world, and 

 I name a large sum, as I do not care to risk my health and stamina 

 for a trifle. If no one takes me up, I hope that I shall no longer be 

 bothered and told that ' any fool could do what I did.' A man of my 

 years challenging all the world to bring a man of any age against me 

 is unparalleled in. the history of sporting, and scarcely to be believed. I 

 now challenge any man in the world of any age, to ride from 200 to 

 500 miles, for 20,000Z. ; but if he will only ride 200 miles, I will stake 

 10,000^. Or, I will ride against a jockey of seven stone, 200 miles, 

 receiving 30 minutes for the difference between seven and eleven stone 

 odd ; or I will take 10,000Z. to 3000/. that I will ride 200 miles in 

 eight hours, which would be a wonderful performance for one of m}'" 

 weight, and as I think, almost impossible. At all events the smallest 

 accident would cast the match, and I should scarcely have time to 

 mount and remount. I am always to be heard of at Pitsford, near 

 Northampton. November 16th, 1832.'' 



Great exaggerations prevailed as to the money won by 

 the '* Squire '' over his match, some putting it at upwards 



