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
There happened to be another native nobleman at the time anxious and
longing to make a name for himself on the turf, namely, the young and
enormously rich young Maharajah of Patiala, straight from the leading
strings of a strict Scotch tutor. Being at the Calcutta meeting
for the first time in the early part of ’91, and knowing that the
Beresford-Durbangah arrangement was at an end, he approached Lord
William with a view to being taught the ropes and joining company. He
was already a good horseman and loved the sport. His lordship agreed,
and so for the future it was to be that very powerful stable the
Patiala-Beresford, the strongest in India.
So there was no halting in any of the programmes, everything went
on just as usual. At the Second Extra Calcutta Meeting in ’91 Lord
William won two races with Lord Clyde and one with Wild Oats, as wild
as his name. At the Lucknow Meeting Myall King won the Stewards’
Purse, value 1500 rupees. Here again there was an unpleasantness, one
of those heated arguments that spoil the pleasure of a meeting for
everybody. This time the row began when Mr. Apcar’s Sylvia won the
Civil Service Cup, and Lord William, on behalf of the owner of the
second pony named Frisky, made objection to her not having paid the
full penalties. After certain explanations Lord William withdrew his
objection, but Frisky’s owner carried on the war, and the unfortunate
Stewards of the Turf Club (Calcutta) had to sift the matter and
adjudicate. Counsel exhausted themselves with their eloquence over
the case, but again it came to naught.
[Illustration:
_Photo. Vandyk_
H. H. THE MAHARAJAH OF PATIALA]
It was, I believe, in December, 1891, Myall King was beaten for the
Viceroy’s Cup by that speedy horse Moorhouse, but Sunshine won the
Karnaul Stakes, Edith the Zeerut Stakes, Teviot the Eastern Stakes,
plucky little Blitz the Eclipse Stakes, with ears down, thinking
hard, and doing his best; Ivo the Christmas Cup, so amongst these
many wins it is hoped consolation was found to make up for poor Myall
King’s defeat.
On the fourth day of the big Calcutta Meeting there was some grand
racing. The Patiala-Beresford’s country-bred pony Negus, supposed
to be the best country-bred ever seen in India, won the Eastern
Handicap, and Ringmaster made a splendid finish for the Durbangah
Cup, Vinall only just managing to squeeze him in front of Savant
by a short head. The stable at this time had a small English boy
named Peake doing the lightweight riding for them, he was rather a
success. At the Third Extra Calcutta Meeting the black cap and light
blue jacket won four races on Christmas Day as follows: Escapade the
Kerry Stakes, Tabby the Welter, Negus the Bengal, Ivo the Fitzmaurice
Stakes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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