OPINIONS OF NOTED COURSERS 155 



of which he is the fortunate possessor, nothing but a complete 

 reversal of the luck that has followed him can prevent him from 

 appropriating a good share of the plums of the season. 



The brilliant career of this meteor on the coursing 

 firmament has thrown into shade the consistent shining of 

 such stars as Mr. Dent and Mr. Miller. The former is so 

 closely identified with the success of Colonel North that 

 the honour is due to him even in a greater degree than to the 

 owner ; not only did he breed Fullerton and his progenitors on 

 the dam's side, but he also trained them for all their engage- 

 ments, and certainly no trainer of modern times can show such a 

 record as regards the special preparation requisite for success at 

 Altcar. The eleven voters who named Mr. Dent as the most 

 successful courser must have borne these facts in mind, and in 

 the highest sense of the word theirs is a happy selection ; for we 

 take it that there is a distinction to be drawn between a courser 

 and an owner, and in the former capacity there is no doubt 

 that Mr. Dent easily bears ofl" the palm. 



Mr. Miller, who comes third, has very great claims ; in fact, 

 in all-round coursing his successes, if totted up, would, we fancy, 

 exceed those of the master of Shortt Flatt, though as regards 

 the Waterloo contest his record is not so brilliant. Misterton's 

 victory came as a pleasant surprise, judging by the price 

 at which he started ; and from this mighty sire sprang a 

 host of winners to do honour to the Dorsetshire courser. 

 Mullingar, Millington, Middleton, Madeleine, Mickleton, 

 Match Girl are but a few from a long list, and a reference 

 to the table of winners got by the Waterloo Cup winner 

 of 1879 will reveal many a winner that credited Mr. Miller 

 with good stakes. Of late years Mr. Gladstone, by the aid 

 of Greentick and his descendants, can show a brilliant list 

 of triumphs ; while the Messrs. Fawcett, who stick religiously 

 to their own particular strain, can be quoted as coursers whose 

 success has been conspicuous of late — a remark that also 

 applies to Mr. Hornby and the Messrs. Thomson. 



Mr. Dent, of course, heads the list of breeders with 27 



