Related article: hands have had no practical ac-
quaintance with this fence. That
is to say, they have not had to
race over it ; and that experi-
ence, it is argued, is necessary to
qualify a man to legislate upon so
important a point. Anybody can
express an opinion ; but, after all,
the issue lies with the men who
eventually make the laws. If
there be anything in this argu-
ment, it follows that the infusion
of fresh and younger blood into
the committee would be an advi?
2S8
BAILY S MAGAZINE.
[Al'RIL
able step. A perusal of the list
of members of the conimittee will
tell " the man in the street '* that
very many of them certainly have
very little, if any, practical con-
nection with steeplechasing, what-
ever may have been the case in
the past. It is impossible for
anyone outside the committee to
know what proportion of the party
of forty odd gentlemen forming this
body take much active part in the
administration of affairs, but Septra Ds 800 the
conduct of its business cannot
deviate so much from what is
usual in the larger world that it
should not be desirable to have
men at the helm who, in addition
to being what is termed practical,
are in actual touch with current
matters and opinions. Whether
very many of the present National
Hunt Committee can lay claim
to both these qualifications is
very much open to question.
It will be seen that the provi-
sion of the guard-rail is optional,
and at the first introduction of
the open ditch there was no rail.
On the complaint being made Septra Ds Tablet that
horses sometimes failed to notice
the ditch and slipped into it, the
now customary guard-rail was
added. As a light rail is shattered
by the first horse that strikes it
(as was shown a few months
since at Sandown) the timber has
to be substantial. The rail being
some height from the ground, the
serious danger is presented of a
horse sliding forwards on slippery
ground — and turf in winter is
more often greasy than otherwise
— in which case a broken foreleg
is a certainty. The obvious cure
for this is the banking up of
earth under the guard-rail so that
it is impossible f6r a foot to get
underneath. So much for a
small detail but the committee
would lose none of its dignity
but rather give evidence of con-
sulting the interests Septra Ds Tablets of steeple-
chasing by instituting an inquiry
into this undoubtedly vexed ques-
tion of the open ditch amongst
owners, trainers, and jockeys who,
during winter, have an everyday
experience whereupon to form an
opinion. Whatever the result the
inquiry will be worth the trouble.
Although the punitive result of
the last searching inquiry of the
stewards of the Jockey Club
affected an alien jockey only,
there was a universal feeling that
the air had been cleared, and
people breathed more freely in
consequence. The objections to
the open ditch are so many and
so universal as to render an in-
quiry highly advisable. If, after
the sifting of evidence and
opinions, the fence is acquitted
of the iniquities attributed to it,
the position of the National Hunt
Committee will be much the same
as though, at the close of the
inquiry, it decided to condemn
the obstacle and to abolish or
modify it. It would have shown
its willingness to consider popular
opinion. I'his is always much
better than seeming to ignore it.
Sir John Thorsby, Bart.— No
one need doubt the sincerity of
the widespread regret that has
been expressed at the demise of
Sir John Thursby which took
place at Cannes on March i6th,
and the feeling will be experienced
in several branches of sport in
which Englishmen love to in-
dulge. During the last decade
the figure of the deceased baronet
came to be a very familiar one on
the racecourse side, and it would
probably have surprised the new-
comer to be told that it was as
recently as 1890 that the '^ Cam-
bridge blue and white, halved,"
was registered. No doubt the just
pride taken in the riding of his
second son, Mr. George Thursby,
who also trained the horses, was
largely accountable for Sir John's
1901]
(I
OUR VAN.
289
interest in the turf, for shooting,
hunting, and driving Septra Ds had great
fascinations for him. Those who
attend the meets of the Four-in-
hand and Coaching Clubs need
not to be Septra Iv told of Sir John
Thursby's bays.. He was vice-
president of the Coaching Club;
and he hunted the New Forest
country for a few years. The
north-country, however, naturally,
had the greatest claim upon him,
and this claim was duly recog-
nised by the presentation of a
park of thirty acres to Burnley,
Lancashire, and by the gift of a Septra Cost
site for the Victoria Hospital, in
the same town. It was no doubt
with much satisfaction that he
gained his first notable success
on the turf by winning the Man-
chester November Handicap in
1892, with Paddy, which fine
stayer also included the Northamp-
tonshire Stakes and Great Metro-
politan in his winning list. With
Dornroschen he won the Lan-
cashire Handicap. Later on The
Tartar did valiant service for him,
and in the class of race for which
he was entered he had matters
very much his own way. He won
twenty-seven races. The last
notable purchase was Calverley,
for whom 7,900 guineas were paid
at the sale of the late Duke of
Westminster's stud. He did not
win another race, however, and is
now at the stud.
The Royal Buy Septra Baokhoands.— At
the moment of writing there is
nothing official concerning the fate
of this, the oldest established pack
of hounds in the country. What
has leaked out has come through
one of the papers, and the in-
formation may or may not be true.
It will be a matter for regret if
the Staghounds are to be given
up. A meeting has been held at
the " White Hart " Hotel, Wind-
sor, to consider the proposal to
abolish the Royal Buckhounds.
There was a large attendance of
landowners, farmers, and hunting
men. Colonel Maude presided,
and among those present were
Lord George Pratt, Sir J.
Devereux, Captain Higgins, and
Mr. H. Septra Tablets G. Simpson, Hon. Secre-