LORD MOSTYN* (Licensed Victuallers' Gazette.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1928, 2 November 1888, Page 26

LORD MOSTYN* (Licensed Victuallers' Gazette.)

One of the most ancient families in that most genealogical of countries, Wales, are the Mostyns; they do not, like some of their compatriots, claim to be descended from Noah, or at the time of the Flood to have launohed an ark of their own, but they can trace their pedigree back in an unbroken descent for a thousand years, and thereby put those of Norman blood in the background. Mostyn Hall, Flintshire, is one of the finest of Welsh mansions; and it was there, in the year 1795, that Edward Lloyd Mostyn was born. Soon after attaining his majority Mr Mostyn sat for Flintshire, which his father had represented in many successive Parliaments. Lord Mostyn's favourite pursuit was the Turf. There are few living Turfites, probably not one, who can remember the time when the yellow jacket of Lloyd Mostyn — that same jacket which was borrowed from the Mostyns by the first Earl Grosvenor — was a terror on every county racecourse, particularly on the Welsh borders, at Chester,' Liverpool, Oswestry. A few veterans, however, may recall the day when Mr Mostyn's superb chestnut filly, the Queen of Trumps, one of the horses of history, ran away with the Oaks and Doncaster St. Leger in 1835. "The Queen of Trumps won the Oaks in such splendid style," says a sporting writer of the "day, " that if it had been the only race in which she had ever run, it would have placed her among the best horses known on the Turf." But, coupled with her subsequent performances it may safely be asserted that she has never been surpassed— it may, indeed, be fairly questioned whether she has ever been equalled. Queen of Trumps had a noble pedigree. She was bred by her owner in 1832, and was the best foal that ever sprang from the loins of the fleetest horse that John Scott ever trained, Velocipede— the horse that Mr Houldsworth said he would not give sixpence for on account of his slight legs. His legs were certainly queer, but Bill Scott used to say that if they'd been cut off, such was his mettle, that he'd have fought on his stumps. Velocipede's Great Triumph of Speed was when he cut down Bessy Bedlam on the T.y.C. at York. Lifce her sire, Queen of

Trumps was not too sound on her pins ; and she gave her backers many a bad quarter of an hour on account of a disagreeable peculiarity she had in common with Mr Powney's horse The Hero, who. however, differed from her in being one of the stoutest horse? that ever was stripped for a cup, and that was a habit of pulling up lame at the end of a gallop. The consequence was that the timid ones, when they heard of such an accident occurring just before a great race, frequently hedged— to their sorrow, as it usually turned out. When she started for the Oaks of 1835 everybody regarded the race as a foregone conclusion for Mr Greville's Preserve, who, ridden by Nat Flatman, stood at 7to 4 odds on ; for a day or two previously the ominous news had spread abroad that Queen o£ Trumps had limped after her last gallop. But never were the cautious ones more cruelly let in. There was a good field, but at Tattenham Corner there were only two in the race, and upon descending the hill Mosfcyn's flying filly showed her heels to the favourite in a style that made many a watchful face look blue. Tommy Lye was up, and Tommy, who was an avaricious little dog, having invested a pony, Which he thought a very large sum, upon his mount, was in a terrible stew for fear she should lose. His attitude at a finish was never an elegant one— a wag once described it as two feet of silk and three feet of boots and wash leather in convulsions— and though the Queen was going like the wind, in his anxiety hs could not help pricking her behind the flaps of his saddle, though no animal ever wanted the spur less, and he brought her past the winning-post with her rival lengths behind. Having carried off the Knowsley Dinner Stakes at Liverpool in a canter, Tommy Lye again up, the Queen of Trumps was brought to Doncaster to run for the St. Leger. Those were the great days of the stables of " the Wizard of the North," and John and Bill Scott, who hated " the southrons," swore she shouldn't win, placing their confidence in her own brother, Hornsea— another foal of the horse with the spider legs, Velocipede. And the odds certainly seemed against Mosfcyn's mare, for not only was Hornsea opposed to her, but Mundig, the Derby winner, and nine other starters beside, though everyone said the race would be between the three. It was

A Splendid Contest, but, as was anticipated, it was a triangular duel, and never was a race watched with more breathless interest. The result, however, was not long in doubt. The Queen took the lead as soon as Tommy Lye chose to let her, and at the right moment shot ahead, and left her rivals hopelessly in the rear. The disappointment at Whitewall was bitter, and Bill Scott's language that day was " a caution to snakes," as the Yankees say. But, alas I how fickle and whimsical is Fortune, and never more so than on a racecourse. The Queen of Trumps was entered for the Scarborough Stakes, run on the last day of the meeting. There were only three starters— the General, Ainderby, and the Queen. The odds were 8 and 10 to 1 upon the last-named, though when she cantered before the race she went short, and drew; up a little lame ; but the backers by this time were grown used to that sort of thing, and her performance in the "Sillinger" made them think that mothing could beat her. The General made the running, Ainderby lying well up until the rails were reached, when they both headed him. At the distance the invincible mare seemed like winning with ease, and so she was. But suddenly a large bull-dog rushed out from beneath the rails and flew at her heels. Tommy Lye, losing his nerve, checked her, and the mare changed her legs ; Ainderby shot ahead a couple of lengths, but the plucky Queen was after him, and had the distance been longer would have overtaken him ; as it was, Ainderby, who was only a second or third rate animal, won by a short head. There was rejoicing in Bill Scott's little back parlour that night, for Ainderby's owner, Captain Frank Taylor, a half-pay cavalry officer, was a great pal of Bill's. "What a pity it was that the dog hadn't been there on Leger day!" remarked Bill. 11 He should have lived at free quarters for the rest of his life. Soon afterwards the Queen was sent to the stud, but there she proved a failure, and died in 1843 in giving birth to a foal by Eevolution. When, in ! 1846, | George Payne, because the services of John Kent, his lordship's trainer, could not be secured, declined | the offer of Lord George Bentinck's stud for £10,000, it was Mr Mostyn who, with his cousin, Mr Oymrie Lloyd, closed with the bargain, and thus became possessed of the most magnificent stud of racehorses in the ! world. In 1854, upon the death of his father, Mr Lloyd Mostyn, who had, however, early in life inherited a large fortune from an uncle, succeeded to the title and estates. This made little difference in his mode of life ; respected by all, and beloved by his immediate surroundings, many were the honours conferred upon him. He was created Lord-lieutenant of Merionethshire, Vice-admiral of North Wales, and Lord of the Marches— the last an ancient title that had been frequently borne by his ancestors when this wardenship of the borders was no sinecure, but had to be kept, booted and spurred, often night and day, to repel the forajs of the depredators who made raids upon each other, carrying off cattle, and often, as on the border land of England and Scotland, ravaging the country with fire and sword. No such duties attach to the post nowadays; it is simply one of those symbols that connect the past and present history of the country. Lord Mostyn attained to the patriarchal age of his ninetieth year, and to the distinction of being — with the exception of Lord Stradbrooke, who, born one year before him, survived as nearly as possible one year after him— the oldest owner of racehorses in Great Britain. To the last he took the deepest interest in the Turf, and retained all his faculties unimpaired, conducting all correspondence with his own hand until within a few days of his death, which occurred in March 1884.

Skinny Men.— "Well's Health Renewer" restores health and vigour, cures Dyspepsia, Impotence, Sexual Debility. At chemists and druggists. Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co., agents, Dunedjn,