by Mr. Joseph Miles Macdonnell of Dim Castle, co. Mayo. The former 

 was known as " the man for Gal way," and the latter as "Joe More ' 

 {A7iglice, Big Joe). At an ordinary during a race-meeting at Kilkenny, 

 Mr. Hunter asked, would anyone buy for £30 Guiccioli, then in foal 

 to Roller, and the late Mr. John H. Jones of Mullinabro', near Water- 

 ford, would have done so had he not been dissuaded by his friend Sir 

 Richard Cox, who said to him, " Why do you want to buy such a cat 

 of a thing 1 She'll never breed hunters for you." 



Mr. Jones, who was a great friend of mine, told me years ago the 

 narrative. He was all through his long life very fond of breeding 

 horses. The last he bred was Paddy, by Skylark, out of Mavourneen, 

 who won the Manchester November Handicap in 1892. He also bred 

 Bacchus, by -Uncas, out of Nelly, a horse which in his racing career 

 carried a great deal of money. 



Guiccioli was put to Roller twice, but the produce was not remark- 

 able, except perhaps in George. The best of this mare's progeny un- 

 doubtedly were Birdcatoher, Faugh-a-ballagh, and Connaught Ranger. 



Roller, by Quiz, was one of the greatest horses of his day, and was 

 also the property of Mr. Hunter, but he was imported from England. 

 He raced from, and stood at. Turf Lodge, where Mr. Hunter resided 

 before he became our racing judge, which he did some forty years 

 ago. Roller won twenty-nine races, mostly of four miles. He got a 

 great many good horses, including Colonel Westenra's Freney. 



Birdcatcher was bred in 1833, and, as I have stated, by Mr. Knox 

 at Brownstown House, but Mr. William Disney purchased him 

 afterwards, and it was at Lark Lodge he stood as a stallion. His 

 greatest race was for the Peel Cup at the Curragh October meeting 

 in 1836, which he won by more than a distance, beating Freney and 

 others ; nor could he be pulled up till he had run into Newbridge, 

 nearly two miles from the winning post. For racing purposes he 

 never recovered that performance. He was put to the stud in 1838, 

 and covered until 1859, during which long period he was about the 

 most successful sire this kingdom has ever had, his grandson, Stock well, 

 perhaps alone excepted. He covered, off and on, in England and 

 Ireland — about half his time in each country. He died in 1860, and 

 his head was given to the Dublin Royal Veterinary Co legp, while his 

 body lies buried at Lark Lodge. 



Bob Booty was another of our great Irish horses. He was bred in 

 1804 by Mr. Denis Bowes Daly, then and for many years residing at 

 Athgarvan Lodge, the present home of Mr. William Pallin. He was 

 by the imported Chanticleer, but out of lerne, bred at the Curragh 

 in 1790 by Mr. Robert Hamilton. Practically, therefore. Bob Booty 

 was an Irish horse. He did not start for his first race till he was 

 four years old, but he won that, it being a King's Plate of four miles 

 at the Curragh. Mr. Daly then brought him to England, where he 

 won some trying races, and beat first-rate horses. He was then sent 

 back lo the Curragh, where in 1809 he won the Kildare Stakes— a 



F 



