232 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



marvellous performance. I was too ill to ride myself, and 

 Mr. W. Murland had the mount, and right well did he 

 acquit himself. A few weeks earlier, before we had begun 

 to put " Belmont " into regular work, I was hunting him 

 with the Westmeath hounds, when he crawled about the 

 steep sides of Knock Ion like any old shooting pony. A 

 lady came up and said, "Is not that 'Belmont'?" and I 

 replied in the affirmative. " But I heard you are going to 

 run him again," she continued ; " why is he here ? " " So 

 I shall run him," was my answer. " What for," was the 

 next astonished query. " Well," I replied, " I am not 

 quite sure yet, but I think first for the Dunboyne Plate at 

 Fairyhouse, and then for the Conyngham Cup at Punches- 

 town." He did run for these races, and won them both. 



I have always found that if care is taken not to 

 overdo a horse out hunting, and he is put into regular 

 training about six weeks before his race, the hunting does 

 him all the good in the world ; but of course it must be 

 made subservient to the good of the horse, and the latter 

 not be sacrificed for the sake of the chase. 



" Belmont " was very shifty in a race, and given to 

 bolting if he was in front, the only jockey that he never 

 got out with being that splendid rider, poor Eoddy Owen. 

 His jockey, therefore, invariably had orders never to take 

 the lead till near the winning-post, yet, however fast the 

 pace might be, to lie up at the quarters of the leader, for 

 no horse could ever get " Belmont " into trouble. 



In the Conyngham Cup — which is a four miles race 

 over the big course at Punchestown — one horse, " Kil- 

 bride," overpowered his jockey at starting, and came at 

 such a pace that Mr. Murland thought that he could 

 never be expected to keep with him, and tlierefore followed 



