THE DOWNS IN WINTER 45 



hoping that Lord Clifden might strike on the 

 spot and get a foot through. A mighty pother 

 there was about this, as well could be, but not 

 a percentage of the sensation special editions 

 would work up out of such an incident nowadays. 

 Why, it would keep them in headlines for a week 

 all of itself. 



In 1863 I did not know so very much about 

 going and so forth as I do now. Looking back 

 to the nobbling, I take it that one might safely 

 bet on there being a wettish period when it 

 occurred, or that trainers and owners were 

 content with going their successors would not 

 look at. Mr Gorham, who has had the 

 Telscombe gallops in hand for a good long 

 while, has laid out a lot of money on making 

 them better, and, I may say, made things better 

 for the people all round. Like a good sportsman, 

 he does for his 'chasers what would make 

 hunting's life last a deal longer than it will — 

 viz., buys all the fodder from the farmers 

 and considers the neighbour folk in every 

 way. It would have been a bad day for 

 Telscombe if the military scheme took effect 

 and in its process knocked out facilities for 

 training, thus driving the horses away. We 

 hear a lot of talk about manoeuvring on turf 

 without damage. Those who talk that way do 

 not know, neither can they conceive what the 

 highroads would be like in a little while with the 

 heavy steam hauliers at work grinding up the 

 macadam surface. Not allowing for such wear 

 and tear as must accompany dragging guns and 

 siege trains about, it is a well-known fact that 

 though liberal treatment in care can do a deal 

 for these downs, you cannot make them the sort 



