1822.] ° 
his seat, and pull in, the rest was done 
by the horse. In a race that was ex- 
pected to besharply contested at York, 
O’Kelly placed several persons across 
the line of the course, beyond the 
coming-in post, in order that, if he 
broke away after winning, he might be 
stopt ; but it was a needless precaution, 
for, after the race was won, he seemed 
to understand it, and readily obeyed 
the rein. : y 
They relate also an anecdote of this 
jockey, John Oakley, and of his horse, 
which we ought not to omit. 1t was 
several years afterwards, and that he 
had done racing, being very decre- 
pid and foundered in his feet, from the 
joint effects of shoeing and of racing. 
It being required that he should be con- 
veyed from Epsom to Canons, in Hert- 
fordshire, the seat of his master O’Kelly, 
a four-wheeled car was made on pur- 
pose for him. In this car rode John 
also, and baited with him at the stop- 
ping places on the road; so that, in 
the words of the poet, he had almost 
become ‘ demi-natured with the brave 
beast.” 
On this occasion at Epsom, they say, 
“he was pulled” the whole of the last 
mile with all the might of his rider, yet 
he distanced the whole, notwithstand- 
ing; since, for certain obvious political 
reasons, it was not desirable to his 
owner his prodigious powers should be 
at once disclosed. 
It was after this race that Capt. 
O‘Kelly purchased the half of him of 
Wildman for the sum of 450 guineas ; 
and, after a subsequent race at Win- 
chester, he purchased the remaining 
half for 110 guimeas; yet, for all this, 
was he the cheapest horse ever sold 
in England, having by his valuable pro- 
perties of one kind or other netted for 
his master the prodigious sum, it is 
said, of 30,0001. 
Among other bets on this race, one 
was made which was rather singular, 
by Dennis O'Kelly himself, “That he 
would undertake to place the horses ;” 
after the bet was made, he was called 
upon to declare, and he said, “ Eclipse 
first, the rest no where ;’ which was 
true, in a sporting sense, for a horse 
distanced might be said to be no where, 
or in no place.* 
His next race was on Ascot Heath, 
* His being backed four to one at starting 
in this race, for his superiority, though en- 
deayoured to be concealed, had got abroad 
amons the turf people, and the manner 
Moniuziy Mac. No. 367. 
History of the Celebrated Race-Horse Eclipse. 
305 
on May the 29th, of the same year, 
1769, where he beat Fettyplace’s Créme 
de Barbade. 'The betting here was 
eight to one on Eclipse, and, though 
only five, he carried away the king’s 
plate for the six-years old horses. 
His next contest was at Winchester, 
on June 13th following, of the particu- 
lars of which nothing more is known 
than his beating Turner’s Slouch, who 
had won the king’s plate at Guildford 
just before: ten to one was betted on 
Eclipse after the firstheat. He carried 
away also the 50/. purse, beating the 
Duke of Grafton’s Chigger, Goit’s 
Julia, O'Kelly’s Calliban, and Bailey’s 
Clanville. On the 15th he walked over 
the course at the same place, for 50/., 
weight for age. 
At Salisbury, June 28th, no horse 
meeting him, he walked over the course 
for the king’s plate for six years old, 
carrying twelye stone; and the next 
day he won the city silver bowl, with 
thirty guineas added, for any horse car- 
rying ten stone, beating Fettyplace’s 
Sulphur, and Taylor’s Forrester, dis- 
tancing the first. 
At Canterbury, July 25, he walked 
over for the king’s plate for six years 
old, twelve stone. 
At Lewes, July 27th, he won the 
king’s plate for six years old, beating 
Strode’s Kingston: ten to one on 
Eclipse. 
At Litchfield, September 19, he won 
the king’s plate for five years old, beat- 
ing Freeth’s Tardy by Matchless : 
twenty to one on Eclipse. 
At Newmarket first Spring meeting, 
(Tuesday, April 17th, 1770,) Eclipse 
this happened has been related as follows. 
Some persons engaged in the fancy were 
dispatched from London for the purpose of 
taking a sly peep at a privatetrial that was 
to be made between Eclipse and some 
other horses before his starting for the race; 
but they arrived too late, for it was just 
over; but an old woman, as it happened, 
was found near the spot toddling along, and 
of her they enqnired if she had seen any 
thing of the trial: she told them, she did 
not much understand what they meant; 
but, if it was the two horses they were 
talking about that were running, she could 
tell them that white legs was a long way 
first, and that tother, she was sure, run as 
fast as he could, would never overtake 
him. This was sufficient; they returned to 
town, and the owner was surprised, on his 
arrival, to find the betting so high in his fa- 
vour; he however took the odds, and won 
nich money. 
2Q beat 
