THE PARSON'S MARE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VIII, Issue 435, 17 February 1875, Page 3

THE PARSON'S MARE.

{From the "Australasian.)"

In this colony, as a rule, gentlemen of the black cloth do not lock favourably on the turf. One,indeed — a little more enthusiastic than the rest, we suppose — so it is reported, denounced the late V. R.C. Meeting from the pulpit in no measured terms, and stigmatised "the Cup" as the special invention of the evil one to .decoy men's souls to perdition. But in. the old country parsons are not quite so advanced as their brethren in this colony, and accordingly we not only find them taking a prominent part in many sports and pastimes, such as hunting and cricket, but even owning racehorses, and winning some of the great turf events of the year. "The Parson's Mare," the heading of this article, refers to Apology, tho winner of the celebrated Doncaster St. Leger, who is owned by j» Lincolnshire parson. "Mr. Launde" is the assumed name under which his reverpnee races, and has raced for some years, as, if we remember rightly, Mr Launde also owned The Miner, a horse that once beat Blair Athol. The Parson's mare has proved rather a valuable mine of wealth to her owner, as she has won the "One Thousand," the Oaks, the Coronation Stakes, and the St. Leger during the season ; and the value of these stakes amounts to a trifle over £13,000 ! This Lincolnshire parson mnst be one of the good old sort, who could relish a glass of fine old port, and smoke his long claj' pipe in a farmer's chimney corner, and yet preach a good sermon on a Sunday also. For the "Daily News" correspondent says of him that " his colours are so universally followed when they have a good horse under them, that I may safely say he would have been mobbed and cheered as much as Apology was worshipped b*y the enthusiastic Tykes." This past Leger wss a sensational one in many respects. The Derby winner was scratched for the Leger on the morning of the race — so late, in fact, that thoussnds never heard of it until they reached Doncaster — and, to arid to the excitement, " the parson's mare" was reported amiss. She did really go a trifle lame a day or two before the race, so much so that Osborne telegraphed to the parson his doubts. The reply of the old man was characteristic — " She must go if she has only three legs to go on." The public should have a run for their money unless the mare actually broke down, was the parson's resolve. How she did not break down, but ran and won easily, to the delight of all Yorkshire, is now well known and ' recorded in columns upon columns in the home press.