Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and WitMenzies, Stuart, Mrs.
History
Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and Wit
Menzies, Stuart, Mrs.
Beresford, William Leslie de la Poer, Lord, 1847-1900
Lord William was a good judge of a horse and understood their
training, he was therefore often asked for his advice, and if anyone
had a good horse they wished to sell they usually let Lord William
have a look at it. One day in Calcutta, Mr. John Ralli sent him
for trial a very fine fast trotting mare to look at; his lordship
decided to buy her. The same evening he went for a “walk round” at
Belvedere and saw there a Mr. S. (we will say) and his very handsome
wife walking arm-in-arm. There was a very strong likeness between
Mr. Ralli and Mr. S., and as Lord William passed, mistaking him for
Mr. Ralli, he gave a little pinch whispering, “She’s a ripper.” Mr.
S. immediately replied, “You’re a scoundrel, sir!” Lord William was
very indignant and thought the man had gone mad, as, of course, he
was referring to Mr. John Ralli’s fast trotting mare. Mr. S. was also
angry, thinking Lord William referred to his wife. Rather a funny
story of mistaken identity.
Lord William was with the Viceroy on the memorable occasion when
touring a certain district where the natives had come to the
conclusion that, under the new Viceroy’s rule, they were to have a
free run among the scattered European residents, where several ladies
were living, and when he arrived the said scattered Europeans were
not inclined to give his Excellency a favourable reception! This
episode was referred to as the “White Mutiny.”
The Autumn of 1882 was not a very lucky one from the racing point of
view. Both the Dehra and Umballa meetings were poor and temporarily
somewhat out of favour. The winter of 1882-3 was not much better, at
Calcutta Lord William certainly won a race with Fariz and another
with Mooltan, and he won a match five hundred rupees a side, riding
his Premier against Captain Webb, on Mr. Godjack’s Skirmishe.
In May came the news of his partner’s death, poor Mr. Monty Stewart,
who had gone home sick. In consequence of this, all the horses were
put up for sale, the majority being bought by the Sporting Maharajah
of Jodhpore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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