Mr. J. M. Richardson's Writings Collated 



annexing the much-coveted Blue Riband. If ever there was 

 a horseman — certainly one of the most brilliant of our time — 

 not only to hounds but over a flagged country, of whom one 

 would have thought it safe to prophesy that at one time or 

 other during his career in the saddle he would have steered the 

 winner of the National, it was my old friend " Doggie " Smith, 

 but in this particular race, which had been the dream of his life 

 to win, his habitual good luck invariably deserted him. How 

 well I remember, in 1874, when he and I were riding to 

 the starting-post together, his saying, with a look of con- 

 fidence there was no mistaking, "I've got you this time, old 

 chap ! " 



Heraut d'Armes, his mount in the race, a grand-looking 

 horse, up to 15 st. with hounds, and full of quality, had 

 previously won the Conyngham Cup at Punchestown in a 

 canter, and, with only 10 st. 8 lbs. in the saddle on this occasion, 

 was bound to be dangerous. Anyhow, I know I breathed a 

 sigh of relief when I saw him come down at the fence after 

 Becher's Brook. " Doggie's " bad luck still clung to him in 

 1883, when, but for the merest fluke, he would certainly have 

 been on the back of Zoedone when she won the National. He 

 had promised to ride the mare in the great Sandown Steeple- 

 chase, run a short time previous to the Liverpool meeting. 

 " Doggie " was away shooting at a friend's place in the country 

 at the time, and so severe was the frost in that part of the 

 world that he gave up all idea of travelling to Sandown. A 

 most unfortunate decision as it turned out, for not only was the 

 programme at Sandown duly gone through, but Count — now 

 Prince Charles Kinsky — finding himself without a jockey for 

 Zoedone in the big event of the day, elected to ride her him- 

 self. The mare won in fine style, and so delighted was his 

 sporting owner at the performance that he at once made up his 



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