IRISH CROSS-COUNTRY CELEBRITIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 8 July 1887, Page 25

IRISH CROSS-COUNTRY CELEBRITIES.

(By " Larky Grig," in the Field.) Empress. Empress is— for she is still alive and well in the Eyrefield Lodge stud paddocks— a light chestnut mare by Blood Royal out of Jeu-des-Mots,. by King, Tom, and was foaled in 1875, being bred by Mr Lindsay, a welli known North of Ireland sportsman, She is

a /well-shaped animal, standing over, 16 hantfa in height, with grand shotflders, big, .hws» cular quarters, short back, a good lean head, and slightly, lopped ears. ; Before her first public . outing— rwhioh was in . the < Dublin Plate, at Baldoyle, on May/,21, 1878-r-the subject of this notice had changed hands, having passed into the possession of " Mr Fleejbwood Rynd, in whose colours she unsuccessfully contested the ; Dublin v Plate aforesaid, for which she started the. outsider of the party,- and was "nowhere" to those good animals Sisyphus, Venice, and Madame Dv Barry, and, though she made one .of a field of 10 that contested the Stewawls' Plate next day, she also failed to attract judge Hunter's notice. Her next and, only try for the year was also on the, flat., at Galway, where she got second, in a field of five" foa 1 the Members' Plate, with the company nob by any means, select, as a' very; moderate animal called Black Bess was able to concede her 71b, and beat her, a neck, both being; three-year-oldg at the time. JDuring that 41 back-end " Mr H. E. Linde purchased Empress, and she was relegated to the jumping business that winter, and sported silk/ for the first time between the flags at Newbridge for 'the Citizens' Gold Ohallenge Cup, for which event she was steered by Mr T. Beasley, but not to success, and her moderate display gave no clue as to her future prowess as a chaser. Her next essay was under the shadow of the historic hill of Bellewstown^ where, in July 1879, with Mr Beasley as her pilot again, she was second to Solver for a flat race (the Gormanstown Corinthian Stakes), and on the Wednesday" following fell when her chance seemed a rosy one for the Marlborough Hurdle Handicap, at the Maze, and was second " over the sticks " next day to that good horse Cimaroon. Empress started second • favourite for the Metropolitan Handicap Steeplechase at Baldoyle in the month of September following, but, with Mr T. Beasley as her pilot, could only get third to Sunshine , and Kocksavage. Next day Mr W. B. Morris had a mount, but not a winning one, on the subject of this paper, for a Corinthian flat race. ■ For the first time she caught judge Hunter'seye at Cork in the Autumn Handicap Steeplechase — substituted for the Grand Stand Plate — on September 2i, 1879, with Mr T. Beasley again in the saddle. It was a > meritorious performance for a four-year-old, but nothing very wonderful, as her weight— lOst 31b — was a nice one, and there was nothing any good behind her except Lottery, whom she beat a length. She won the concluding race of the meeting (Cork Park) over hurdles, beating that good horse Quadroon after a rare tussle up the rails. With a lot of weight, and Mr T. Beasley >on her back, Empress could only get third to Controller and .Cimaroon for a' hurdle race at the Curragh October meeting of 1879, but wound up well by scoring twice at the > Maze, ■ eight being opposed to her for the Maze Handicap Steeplechase on the concluding day of the meeting. Empress started a very warm favourite, and won very easily by a couple 'of lengths, Mr T. Beasley again holding the ribbons. I now come to her last and greatest race — viz., the Liverpool Grand National of 1880, which was her only outing for, the year. Before dealing with the race, I may remark that some three months preceding" it Mr Linde sold Empress to Count George Erdody, the price being £450 ; so tbafc even that great judge of 'chasers, Mr Linde,- was not fully aware what a sterling' animal the chestnut was, or he would not .'have taken that price for her. At all events that was her price, and Capt. Ducrow having entered her in his name and colours for the Grand National, she bore them to success. ■ That year 14 animals sought Grand National honours, about .half of which hailed from the " Ould Country." Regal was favourite at fives, while at half a point more Liberator, even with 12st 71b on him, came in for a lot of support. The Eyrefield Lodge stable ran two — Empress and Woodbrook ; but the mare carried nearly all the money, and was supported consistently down to 8 to 1, which was her starting price. She was trained to the hour, with a real Eyrefield polish on her. Her weight was a nice one, lOst 71b being her burden, and Mr T. Beasley once more her pilot. , Cannon was on the favourite — Regal — who, as a five-year-old, had won Grand National honours four years previously. Mr Garrett Moore was doing duty for Liberator, while Mr Lee-Barber held the ribbons on his "own " thundering giant," Jupiter Tonans. Captain Smith had the mount on Shifnal, and " Bob " I'Anson had that on the Frenchman — Wild Monarch. The race is very easily described. Suffice it to say that Empress was a long way behind her horses the last time round, from Mr Beasley losing a stirrup, and in trying to get in his foot lost a lot of ground; but the chestnut caught up her horses one by one, and so fresh and full of running was the mare that she jumped 30ft over the last flight of hurdles, and won easily by two lengths from Liberator, who beat his fellowcountryman Downpatrick by a head, Jupiter Tonans being fourth, and Mr Linde's second string, Woodbrook, fifth. No doubt Empress was a great mare on that day ; and that her party were sweet on her chance is borne out by the fact of their having taken £15,000 out of the ring over the race. Empress could never be. got to stand another preparation afterwards. She has been put to the stud, and a very good-looking two-year-old by Philammon ont of her is at present in training at Eyrefield -Lodge, and may emulate her deeds some day or other. Woodbrook. Woodbrook was a chestnut gelding by The Lawyer out of The Doe; by Roebuck, who was herself a good animal between the flags, particularly on that bitterly- cold Easter Monday, now nearly 16 years 'ago, when, iij the hands of poor Boylan, she won the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse,' it being her last race. , Woodbrook ,was,foaled,'in 1874, and bred by Captain T. Y. L. Kirkwood, of Woodbrook, Boyle, County Roscommon,and, curiously enough, ran his tirst race over the Fairyhouse track in 1878,,where > ' his dam, as aboye stated, had won , the principal event seven years previously." He was a long, low horse about 15.3, standing, on .good short legs, with a bloodlike head and neck,' beautiful shoulders, and good hocks arid quarters, the latter slightly drooping/, When..hometrained he won the Town Handicap at Eoscommon, May 2, 1878, and" some three'weeks afterwards showed his. heels 'to,' eight others for the Midland Counties 'Plate at Longford,

*t that time one of the best meetings in the midlands. .A 'fortnight later he fell, but nevertheless-ran -second for the Town Plate atßailyhaums; he also fell in.theGalway Plate of that year, won by Jupiter Tonansj and, after having taken part in a caaple anoreiaces at Roscommon— in one Of which toe fell, and, having won the other, was disqualified—he was sent to Eyrefield Lodge. He arrived there apparently fit and well, and after a few weeks was tried ;« but Mr Linde found him to be decidedly the worst four-year-old h& ever had in his place, and so disgusted was he with the chestnut and his performances that, knowing Capt. Kirkwood to be in Dublin, Mr Linde went there spe<cially to meet him, and to ask him to take the horse home. Kilkenny races happened to be coming off a week or so afterwards, and Capt.'Kirkwooi asked Mr Linde to enter him for a race there, and let him have a try. He accordingly entered him for the Sir Roger de Covetiey Plate. Mr Harry Beasley rode him, mscde every post a winning one, and won in a canter ; when Woodbrook was kept on at Eyrefield Lodge. He sported silk at Newbridge in February 1879, but failed to catch the judge's eye. However, he was more successful at Baldoyle a couple of months afterwards, as in the hands of Mr H. Beasley he won the Metropolitan Plate, having i some smart animals behind him — Provider, G-amebird, and Latchkey, to wit; Baldoyle Summer meeting was his next battleground, and with Mr H. Beasley again holding the ribbons he scored once more in the Metropolitan Plate, and, having the same pilot and 12st 71b on his back, ran very well for the chief item on the well-endowed Wexford card a month afterwards ; while he wound up the year by winning the Sefton Steeplechase at Liverpool November meeting, for which he was subsequently disqualified oa the ground of insufficient description. His first outing in 1880 was for the Liverpool Grand National, won by his stable companion Empress, and for which Woodbrook was fifth, and then, with 12st 31b, and Mr T. Beasley — for the first time — as his pilot, he won the chief item on the Curraghmore Hunt card, beating Lady Newman and the turned-loose Assurance. On the last day of the following June, with the crusher at 12st 101b on him, he had a try at the Longford Handicap, but fell when his chance seemed a good one. He was next stripped for the Grand National of 1881, with a dozen good 'chasers in opposition to him. The Eyrefield Lodge stable had two representatives, in the subject of this notice and the Tipperarybred Fairwind. Mr T. Beasley rode Woodbrook, while his younger brother Harry had the leg-up on Fairwind, who carried the greater portion of the stable money, but proved a " foul-wind " on that day — at least to his backers. Mr Garrett Moore was again on Liberator, who was top weight, 12st 71b, while Woodbrook carried 181b less. Jewitt had the mount on Regal ; Capt. Smith did the needful for New Glasgow ; Jem Adams held the ribbons on Abbot of St. Mary's ; and Mr A. Coventry steered Montauban, but not to victory. Thornfield was favourite, with Woodbrook closely treading on his heels. The race was run in a perfect snowstorm, and consequently the pace was slow — for a Grand National. After jumping the brook in front of the stand, Mr T. Beasley assumed a clear lead with Woodbrook, and was not afterwards, headed, winning with consummate ease by several lengths from Regal, with the favourite a bad third. His party would have fared far better if Fairwind had won. Capt. Kirkwood only won £500 over and above the value of the race, which I believe was that year worth something under " a thou." Some few weeks after his Grand National win Woodbrook had top weight on him — 12st 71b — for the Grand International Steeplechase at Sandown ; but it Was Regal's day and Woodbrook's last race. He was sold the following November to Mr Oehlschlager, a German sportsman, the price being £1300 ; and while doing a strong preparation for the Grand National of the following year (1882), he died at Newmarket, where he was being then trained, from the effects of a dose of physic. Possibly no horse, since its institution, ever won a Grand National with more consummate ease ; but, at the same time, he was many removes from some animals whose deeds I have endeavoured to set forth in previous papers. Seaman. Seaman was a bay gelding by Zenophon out of Lena Rivers, by Brockley, who was also the dam of that good game little horse Sailor, as well as Seaweed, Sailor Prince, and several other fair animals. Seaman was foaled in 1876, and was bred by the late Captain Stamer Gubbins at his stud farm, Knockany, County Limerick, and after his lamented dea^h passed with all the other blood stock at Knockany into the hands of his brother, Mr John Gubbins, so well known in the sporting world. Seaman stood 15,3 in height, was an angu-lar-built, but thick, blood-like horse, with a good head, neck, and shoulders, deep heart, strong hips and quarters, but had nasty curby hocks, and was fired on the forelegs when two years old, and long before he was seen in public. He was sent to Eyrefield Lodge as a two-year-old, and a more erratic customer hardly ever entered the portals of that truly great training establishment, and in any other hands than Mr Linde's and Mr H. Beasley's would never have been heard of, as he was hard to break and train ; but patience, perseverance, and pluck will accomplish a good many things that may on the face of them appear impossible. The "Master of Eyrefield " is endowed with all those characteristics, and Seaman was brought to the post at Longford, in June 1880, a thoroughly trained horse and most accomplished fencer, and, with Mr H. Beasley on his back, formed one of a field of four that contested the Members' Plate, for which a ding-dong finish was witnessed between himself and Sir Garnet, the knight beating him at the finish by a neck. That was his only public outing for the year. Liverpool was Seaman's first battleground, in 1881, as the day after Mr T. Beasley and Woodbrook had .romped home for the Grand National, the subject of this notice, with Mr H. Beasley up, opposed six others for the First Liverpool Hunt Steeplechase, among the lot being some good 'chasers — Pride of Prussia, Bob Ridley, and Goldfinder, to wit ; but Mr Beasley and Seaman had the lot in dire distress a mile from

home, and i won in a' canters by rany number of lengths. At the Baldoyle Spring meeting, a few days afterwards, the mighty and gigantic Lord Randolph, beat him for a ntinters' flat race. At the Kildare Hunt — Punchestown — on April 26, 1881, Seaman formed one of a field of 10 that contested the Conyngham Cup, and, though the journey was a long and difficult one— f our miles of an almost natural country — Seaman was made an "odds on* chance, and justified | the confidence of his paf ty and rth'e public by winning in a canfcjsr. I may here remark that hisfutu're owner, Lord Manners, had a mount in the race, and- was impressed with his performance. He next sported Mr Gubbins' well-known ' colours in the Grand Hurdle Handicap at Auteuil, for whicH -he was made a warm 'favourite, and, in the hands of Mr Beasley, won easily from 11 opponents. That was Seaman's last race, for I the year, and, some months. before the following Grand National came round, Mr Gubbins sold him to Lord/ Manners for £2000, and he was trained with' Captain Maoheli's string, at Newmarket for the Liverpool of 1882, for which he was opposed by 11 others, with some real good cross-country animals amongst them — ; Liberator, Soot, Zoedone, Wild Monarch, Montauban, Cyrus, Mohican, and Eau de Vie, to wit. For thethird year in succession, Liberator carried 12st 71b, but on this occasion Jem Adams had the mount, vice his old pilot, Mr Garrett Moore. The Eyrefield Lodge stable ran two, in Cyrus and Mohican, who .were the respective mounts of- Messrs T. and H. Beasley. Mohican started a warm favourite, with the second string of the stable almost treading ion his heels in the market, t Mohican fell, or he would have won, and very easily too, as he was a great ' horse when fit and well, which >he was on that day. After a terrific struggle, Seaman beat his quondam stable companion Cyrus by a head on the ' post. It was truly a great triumph for Lord Manners, whose first mount it was in " a Liverpool," and who landed a' large bet that he would buy, train, and ride the winner of the Grand National the following year, the bet having been made some time in the autumn of 1881. It would have been mortifying to most men to see their " cast-off " come and beat them ; but Mr Gubbins, who owned Cyrus, was far too good a sportsman to engender any feelings of the kind. Seaman did no good with Lord Manners afterwards. It was the fourth consecutive win of an Irish horse in " the Liverpool," severa} getting places, and on one occasion having a monopoly of the " situation " ; so that it was not a whit surprising that our steeplechaser's should be deemed almost invincible at the time. And so they were, though from no lack of good 'chasers in England just then, but we had quite a run of them, though in truth they are scarce enough with us at present. Whisper laOW. Of the many good steeplechasers that have been located at Eyrefield Lodge since Mr Linde put his first horse over a bank, not one could compare "in point of excellence with Whisper Low — and that is saying a great deal, for even those who are not "up " in turf matters are aware that many good horses have received their education and polish at Eyrefield Lodge during the past 20 years. As a matter of fact, more good 'chasers have crossed the portals of this justly celebrated training establishment during the past — well, I shall say 15 years — than any similar institution in the world. . Whisper Low was a rich bay mare foaled in 1878 ; she had a star on the forehead, the only bit of white about her, stood fully 16 hands, but looked a trifle short for her height, had magnificent shoulders, a beautiful bloodlike head, grand back and loins, with somewhat drooping quarters. She was bred by Mr George Knox, of Brownstown, County Kildare — on the edge of the famous " short grass " — and was by Solon out of Beauty, by Macaroni, a mare who has proved one of the most valuable stud matrons we have had on this side of the water for some time — not excepting Hasty Girl or Tantrum, the respective dams of Bendigo and The Baron ; for our best two-year-old of last . season — Kildare — was out of Beauty. Whis- < per Low made her debut in the Baldoyle I Derby of 1881, wherein she met the mighty | Barcaldine, to whom she was a ,good fourth for the event under . notice, but the " big ' bay " was conceding her a lot of weight. At the Curragh June Meeting of 1881 she was third to that good horse iEgeus for the Kildare Handicap. At the Currragh October Meeting of that year, 1881, she won the Curragh Cesarewitch from half a dozen smart animals, including Halmi and Lioness, and that evening Mr George Knox leased her for her racing career to William Cahill, the well-known Eyrefield commissioner. With his usual generous disposition Mr Cahill offered half his new purchase to Mr Linde, which the latter refused, he haying too many horses of his own ab the time. The offer was repeated to Mr John Gubbins, who accepted it ; and Whisper Low was the joint property of Messrs Cahill and Gubbins during the residue of her racing career, which, unfortunately, was a short one, though brilliant in the extreme. She got back most of, if not all, the purchase money for her new owners the day after leasing her, as, well backed and well ridden, she won the 1 Stewards' Plate, and that was her last outing for the year. Manchester was her first battleground in 1882, as on February 24 of that year with Mr Thomas Beasley as her pilot, she won a hurdle race, but " by the skin of her teeth," as Mr Beasley only beat John Jones and Mynheer on the post by a head. Whisper Low sported silk at Liverpool a month afterwards for the Hurdle Handicap, for which she had the steadier of list 101b apportioned to her, but she found her superior for the race under notice in her fellow-countryman, Piraeus. Her next try was on French soil, the scene Auteil, the date May 28, 1882, and the Grand Steeplechase de Paris the bone of contention between herself and 14 others; lOst 51b was her weight, and Mr T. Beasley her pilot." The mighty Basque was top weight, 12st 51b, but, even with his big impost, he was the public idol, and was backed down to 3to 1 ; at a point more the Duke of Hamilton's sterling mare, Eau de Vie, was accorded substantial support, Valour and the subject of this notice being dead-heated for third place in the market; quotations. Hatchett rode Basque, Jewitt had the mount on Valour, Mr D, Thjrtwell did duty for the"

Duke of zHamilfom's imare, Eau| derYie,-and j Mr Harry ' Beasley* was *on the 'Eyrefield Lodge second stripg, Mohican— a great horse i when "fit .and well, and who was tried to be good 'enough to win the Liverpool of that year, for which' he started a red-hot favourite at 3to 1, bat, with his usual luck, fell. ' The Grand Steeplechase of that year is j easily described, as Whisper. Low was in a j good place throughout, until jumping the last fence when she came away when shaken up by. Mr Beasley, and won in a common canter by a length ; though'- 1 may say her victory was achieved on three legs, as she hit hprself badly in the race, and, walked back to her stable very_lame. Basque was second to her, and Mohican at his quarters ready to pounce on him j should anything befall the mare. I may mention that Basque was at the time the premier ' 'chaser of France, Auteuil being his favourite battleground, as over that intricate course the mighty son of Trocadero Was able to give stores to and smother the best horses, of his time ; but Whisper Low would that day have beaten him at equal, weights, giving away the ' two years, as her trial before leaving EyrefielcT Lodge for Paris was Whisper Low lO3t Mohican 9st, and she gave the son" of Uncas at least a stone of a -beating to boot. It was one of the greatest certainties of modern times, and, though her starting price was a short one, her party " piled it on," and won £15,000 over the event. No wonder they, should have • gone " a raker," for her trial was a wonderful one ; she was able to give 2st and a year to Mohican, who was only a length and a-half behind her, giving her Ist, and beat , Basque in their places in the Grand Hurdle Eace the following Wednesday, being second to Marc Antony, and was third in the Liverpool of 1883,- carrying 12st lib. Whisper Low's last appearance under silk was at the Liverpool Autumn Meeting of that year, where for a hurdle race she had to put up with second place; but, fit and well, she would have carriud her conqueror — Pontenoy — on her back to the last hurdle, and then beaten him in the run home. Mr Linde, finding she would not stand another preparation, bought her from Mr George Knox for £360, but some- three months afterwards she picked up a nail or bit of glass in her hind foot and died of lockjaw or tetanus, to the intense regret of the "Master of Eyrefield." She was a most accomplished jumper, and it was a great pity her career was so short. Like most of the Solons, she could never be ridden with spurs.