MR. CLOWES 289 



tried to inaugurate a similar contest in the Market Har- 

 borough country, but met with scant support, chiefly, it 

 is supposed, because of the objection entertained to the 

 ridge and furrow which abounded in that district. On 

 this occasion, however, the matter came off. A horse 

 called Cooksboro' was first past the post, but there 

 was an objection (entertained at Epsom) on account of 

 Mr. Loton, the rider, not being qualified either as a 

 farmer or a gentleman rider, and the race was eventu- 

 ally awarded to the Game Chicken, ridden by Captain 

 Smith. Cooksboro' came in first by five lengths, Game 

 Chicken was a length in advance of Sir Stephen, who 

 in turn was four lengths in advance of Crusade ; Tri- 

 angle was fifth, and The Miller sixth ; and these were 

 all which passed the post out of twenty-eight starters. 

 It cannot be said that the Grand National Hunt race 

 has maintained its character ; but this is by the way. 



About the same time (April) was recorded the death 

 of the last of the four M's — Mr. Maxse — who, together 

 with Mr. Moore, Mr. Valentine Maher, and Sir James 

 Musgrave, were so long familiar figures with the Ouorn. 

 Mr Maxse hunted in the days of Assheton Smith, and 

 they were said to be an uncommonly silent pair ; and 

 Mr. Maxse, it may be remembered, was limited to a 

 pint of port a day by Mr. Smith, the Squire saying that 

 if he drank more he would get too fat to ride. 



The results of the season 1863-64 were that the 

 Quorn were out eighty days, killed thirty-three brace 

 of foxes, and had only one blank clay, which was from 

 Bunny, when the weather was something awful. There 

 were fifty-six couples of working hounds in kennel, 

 and perhaps their best run was one of two hours in 

 December, from Grace Dieu, the fox being killed near 

 Leake Pit House ; while there was another very good 

 forty-five minutes from Walton Thorns to Willoughby 

 Gorse. One fox was killed, and the same alternoon 



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