HE FELL INTO HIS OWN PIT,

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 40

HE FELL INTO HIS OWN PIT,

■ There are many funny steeplechase stories which occur to us, says the Indian Planters' Gazette, and one, which is short, may possibly tend to show the vanity of human desires and the delioious uncertainty of the crosscountry game. At a ceitain up-country meeting which the soldiers used to frequent in the old days when steepiechasing_was more popular than it is now, a certain wily trainer was made clerk of the course. There was a pony steeplechase in the .card of a forthcoming meeting which seemed a, good thing for a certain jumping Arab he had in the stable ; but when the entries came out, much" to the trainer's disgust, he saw a lot of speedy splinter-smashing hurdling brutes in, whose owners, relying on the easy nature of the fences at this place, had sent to take their chance. It did not take our trainer friend long to decide what to do, and as most of the entries came from out-stations, he ha 3no one on the spot Co interfere with him. He went out one dark and muggy morn and raked down" one of the flimsy hedges about three fields from home, and in its place built up a young bastion of Multan mutti, which, as you doubtless know, goes as hard as Portland cement when it dries. The good trainer having fashioned this kopje to his entire snStsfaction lay doggo till .the day of the steeplechase, knowing full well that his Aiab would crawl or clamber or jump over it somehow. The field was a big one, and as they neared home it was apparent that a lot more would beat the jumping Arab than he himself, would beat; for' he was nearly last. "Ten to one they none .of 'em .jump the bank" said the trainer; but to his horror" over flew all these old flat hurdle-racing frauds without laying a toe on it, whereas when the Arab came to it he shuffled ancl scotched about, and finally jumped bang into it, turned over and broke his neck.