215 



away quite recently by a well-known Newmarket trainer who remembers 

 him well. From it can be seen that while possessed of magnificent 

 points his general conformation must have been ungainly, and his 

 appearance would not warrant his wonderful performances. 



Ferguson had not many horses of merit after Harkaway went to the 

 stud, and, retiring from the Turf, he died in a few years. Harkaway 

 was then sold to Mr. David Robertson, at whose place, Ladykirk, in 

 Berwickshire, " the great Irish chestnut" died in February, 1859. 



Like many other horses whose performances were of the highest order 

 Harkaway was not very successful at the stud. At the same time he 

 got several useful animals in Peep o' Day Boy, Horn of Chase, Bal- 

 linafad, Chaseaway, Wild Huntsman, Blucher, Idle Boy, while Tom 

 King, out of Pocahontas, must keep for ever in memory the great 

 Harkaway. His daughters were more useful than the sons, and among 

 them we find the dams of celebrated horses -notably Irish Queen, dam 

 of Sweetsauce ; Golden Horn, of Wild Oats ; Thorn, of Sprig of Shille- 

 lagh ; Lizzie, of Leprechaun ; while from Queen Bee has come the 

 celebrated " Bee family," so identified with the good sportsmen, the 

 Dunnes of Ballymanus. 



Since I wrote the foregoing chapter there happened at the Curragh 

 one of the most melancholy events which was ever recorded in its 

 annals. I allude to the untimely death of Mr. William Beasley, to 

 which I make further reference in my chapter on Panchestown. 



At the time of his brother's death Mr. Tommy Beasley was going 

 to be married. The wedding had, of course, to be postponed for some 

 months, but it has since been celebrated. To illustrate how 

 universally popular is that gentleman, I may mention that over five 

 hundred of his friends joined in the purchase of a testimonial in 

 the shape of plate and jewellery, which was presented to him and 

 Mrs. Beasley. The subscription was fixed at a sovereign, and there- 

 fore the sum reached only a little over £500, otherwise it would have 

 come up to a ve ry large amount. 



