142 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



II 



Captain Machell 



Three or four decades ago Captain Machell was 

 regarded as one of the kings of the Turf. He 

 brought the brains of an extraordinarily astute and 

 observant man to concentrate on Racing in all its 

 aspects. I remember his telling me that when at 

 college he bought a horse for eight pounds. He 

 then wrote to his father, informing him of the fact, 

 and asking for money for the purchase of a saddle. 

 His father's reply was : 



"If you can buy a horse you can buy a saddle." 



From that time he cut out his own line, and 

 what between winning some matches with the 

 eight-pound horse, and athletic events, he soon 

 blossomed out into an owner of good horses, 

 and eventually was enabled to repurchase family 

 estates. 



Captain Machell's idea of a horse that would 

 prove useful over fences and hurdles was a speedy 

 five-furlong animal. His argument was that with 

 a short quick stride a horse comes at a fence 

 collectedly, whereas a long-striding horse is apt 

 to come unbalanced at his fences. This view 

 was not borne out by Cloister, one of the best 

 steeplechasers of all times, as he had an abnor- 

 mally long stride and never steadied himself or 



