154 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



Yates home a gallant winner, but raising a poet, 

 who promptly sent the following to the plucky 

 owner. It is oft quoted, but is worthy of repetition : 



In racing reports it is oft-time said 



A jockey has cleverly won by a head, 



But Yates has performed, when all other arts fail, 



A' more wonderful feat, for he won by a tail. 



Anent Harvester, a son of Stockwell-Gretna, 

 this horse ran unplaced in the Two Thousand 

 Guineas the year that Formosa and Moslem ran 

 their famous dead-heat. Mr Yates thinks he 

 would have won the Grand National in 1872, Cassa 

 Tete's year, had he not been interfered with and cut 

 into. The race that year was attended by more 

 than the usual number of casualties, 



Mr Yates' all-blue colours were often in evidence, 

 especially at South Country meetings ; indeed he 

 was so frequently seen in the saddle that to the 

 uninitiated he was like a circus artist, a fact that 

 did not escape the observation of Queen Alexandra, 

 who was heard to say that "the butcher boy seems 

 to have a ride in every race." That remark caught 

 the ear of King Edward. When Arthur was in- 

 vited to spend a week-end at Sandringham, the 

 King, it is said, introduced him to his consort 

 as follows : " Let me present Mr Arthur Yates, 

 the butcher boy about whom you have often 

 asked." 



