16:2 



again ! This the cur replied to by sneaking off with his companions as 

 fast as he could. Whereupon the little man, still hopping about with 

 fists in position, lustily sang out with suggestive inquisitiveness, "Does 

 anyone else wish to hiss the Prince of Wales ? Does anyone else wish 

 to hiss the Prince of Wales ? " 



I never could find out who this gentleman was, but he could use his 

 fists, and that too with marked effect upon a man several inches taller, 

 and more than a stone heavier, than himself. 



There are thousands in Ireland who would do just the same thing 

 under similar provocation, and I only relate the occurrence as an 

 example of Irish loyalty. 



Accidents with calamitous results have, of course, befallen many a good 

 man and horse over Punchestown, but they were not more numerous 

 than those over other steeplechase courses of less formidable character. 

 Xever, however, was one so universally regretted as that which befell 

 Mr. William Beasley at the meeting of 1892. 



He was riding Mr. J. H. Peard's All's Well in the Kildare Hunt Plate, 

 on the second day (April 27), when the horse, with another, came down 

 at the double, and poor Willie got a kick in the head. Consciousness 

 never fully returned to him, and he died on May 9. 



He was the third brother of that famous family of gentlemen riders. 

 Although he had not attained the high honours between the flags which 

 his two elder brothers, Tom and Harry, had won, he was a top-sawyer 

 in his profession. He was a genial gentleman, popular alike in private 

 and in public, and long %vill it be before his untimely death will cease 

 to be regretted.* 



This unfortunate Kildare Hunt Plate of 1892 was gallantly won by 

 Major Trocke on his mare Countess, carrying top weight, 12st. 71bs , 

 having won the Drogheda stakes the year before on the same mare. 

 Loud and continuous were the cheers from the stand-houses as our 

 veteran Corinthian passed the winning-post ; and seldom, if ever, has 

 there been a more popular win at Punchestown. 



We little knew that while we cheered the gallant Trocke poor Willie 

 Beasley was lying crushed at the double ! 



Major Trocke of Hillbrook, in the King's County, may indeed lay claim 

 to the adjective " famous" which I expound on in the chapter on Racing 

 He has been to my certain knowledge riding steeplechases for nearly 

 forty years, and never passed a year without winning at least once. 

 He has bred, reared, and trained many race-horses, some of which 

 were of very high class, and many a winner in the best company 

 has he piloted, while his reputation on the Turf has never been tarnished 

 even by suspicion. 



Before bringing to a close my memoir of good old Punchestown, I 

 shall make mention of a few of those who, early in the sixties, held 



* Reference to the brothers Beasley will be found in the chapter on the 

 Curragh. 



