SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 132, 13 September 1910, Page 7

SPORTING.

Now a lady enters upon the scene us a match-maker, as set forth in the following announcement, which appeared in August, 1705};—" A match for S(X) guineas and lOo* guineas bye four miles, -between Colonel Thornton's Vingaril > and Mr. Flint's br h Thovnvilte. by , oluiiteer. Mrs. Thornton to ride In " own weight against Mr. Flint's." Tremendous interest was aroused by the terms of the match, and according to the York Herald 1 of that week, "Never did we witness such an assemblage of people US were drawn together on the above occasion—one hundred thousand at least." The race was over a distance of four miles, and it would appear that for more than three miles Mrs. Thornton made the running, but Mr. Flint then took the lead. In the run home the lady was easily beaten. The betting on the race was heavy indeed, for we are told that "not less' than £-200jOOO depended on Mrs. Thornton's match. - ' Not long afterwards the same lady reappears as "walking over" at York. Further laurels awaited her on the same day, for later in the afternoon she rode, and won, her celebrated race on Louisa, a mare belonging to her husband, against Mr. Bromford's Allegro, ridden by the famous jockey Buckle. By all accounts the lady displayed the most brilliant power of jockeyship, for at the distance Buckle had managed to get a lead of two lengths, but was promptly challenged iby the lady, who, after a. severe struggle, won by "half a length amidst the enthusiastic cheering of the vast crowd which had assembled to witness the match." Mrs. Thornton was dressed on that occasion "in a purple cap and waiptcoat and nankeen-colored skirts, which, beimr short, showed her embroidered stockings and purple shoes."—"Famous Matches of the Past," l>y T. H. Browne, in Fry's Magazine for June.