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great trial race in those days— and al&o a King's Plate of four mile 

 heats, beating the famous Hollyhock and several others. He ran 

 till he was six years old, and was then put to the stud by Mr. Daly 

 at Athgarvan Lodge, where he begat many winners. His name is 

 most famous as being the sire of Guiccioli, Pleiad, and Ildegarda. 

 Pleiad was the dam of Maria, by Sir Hercules, while Hdegarda foaled 

 Colonel Westenra's Thump to Humphry Clinker and Mr. William 

 Quid's Wheel to Camel. These were some of the best horses of their day. 



Bagot, foaled towards the close of last century, was not a success on 

 the Turf, but he was so well bred Mr. Hamilton bought him and 

 located him at his lodge near the Stand House, where he got many 

 good winners, including Master Bagot out of Harmony, by Eclipse, who 

 was the best horse in Ireland at the time, and perhaps as good as 

 any in England. He was sire of Hollyhock and many other wonderful 

 horses. Mr. Hamilton was an astute breeder of the thoroughbred, and 

 from Hamilton Lodge sent many good horses, but I need not parti- 

 cularise them. 



Mr. Edwards, who was a Yorkshireman, was also a great Irish bene- 

 factor in the early part of this and latter part of last century, but I 

 don't know exactly where he resided on the Curragh. He imported 

 Tom Tug, previously called Ptover, from England in about 1782, and 

 he became the most popular sire of his time in Ireland ; from him 

 sprang Commodore, Cornet, and Sweet William. Commodore, 

 bred in 1794 also by Mr. Edwards, was out of that good mare 

 Sniallhopes, by Scaramouch. He also bred Irish Escape, by Commo- 

 dore out of the Hightiyer mare, bred by Mr. Tattersall at Highflyer 

 Hall in 1791. To enumerate Irish Escape's victories would fill many 

 piges, I therefore only say he was one of the very best horses that 

 ever ran on the Curragh; but he got nothing of much note except 

 the clinking Milesius and Flight, the dam of Guiccioli. 



The Baron, by Birdcatcher, out of Echidna, was bred in 1842 at 

 Jockey Hall by Mr. "Watts ; and, it is needless to say, the famous 

 Stock well, foaled in 1849, was got by The Baron out of Pocahontas 

 (1837), and was, bar his grandsire Birdcatcher, the very greatest sire 

 England ever possessed. 



Russborough of more recent years was another good horse. He 

 was by Tearaway out of Cruiskeen. He belonged to Lord Mill- 

 town, and was called after his seat in Kildare. AVhen march- 

 ing across the Curragh with his regiment in the spring of 1850, 

 Captain Peel (alluded to in the history of the Curraghmore Hunt) 

 was told by a shepherd that a good horse was located in Murphy's 

 stable at Pope Lodge. This was Ilussborough. At the following 

 Curragh June Meeting Captain Peel brought Lord Waterford to 

 Murphy's to try and buy the horse, but he would not be sold, and 

 Murphy was exceedingly surprised at their knowing anything about 

 him. Three months ^ter wards he ran a dead heat with A'oitigeur 

 for the Leger. Ilussborough did nothing at the sUid. 



