FLAT RACING. 207 



and were at the top of their speed before a quarter of 

 the distance had been covered. The jockey of Little 

 Duck, who was behind, did not trouble about the others, 

 but judged his own pace for three-quarters of the course, 

 and thus saved his animal's powers for the last moment, 

 at which time he suddenly sat down and rode, passed the 

 others, who had not an effort left in them, and won easily. 

 The jockey of Little Duck simply put into practice the 

 rule which I have specified. In a word, he knew how to 

 keep something for a rainy day, which in this case was 

 a reserve of energy to be used at the finish. 



The greatest difficulty for a jockey who is leading, is to 

 judge the pace, and to know how fast his horse ought to go.* 

 If he goes beyond this speed, he will take the wind out of his 

 horse, and will be unable to make a last rush. If he keeps 

 back, he will necessarily do so by taking too strong a hold of 

 the reins, and will consequently tire the horse's loins and 

 hocks. But it is the loins and hocks which win a race at the 

 finish. 



The best jockeys win at the last moment, and as near the 

 winning-post as possible. Their perfect knowledge of pace 

 enables them to judge if their opponents can keep up the 

 speed at which they are going, and to feel if they can increase 

 their own speed. At Chantilly, I saw Watts on Louis d'Or 

 apply this principle in a very clever and lucky manner. It 

 was a welter race, and all of them carried I2st. 81b. Atalante 

 was the favourite, and was certainly the best made to carry 

 weight. 



In this two-mile race, Watts let Louis d'Or go his own pace, 

 and did not try to catch up the others. Although he was two 

 hundred yards behind at the beginning, he did not increase his 

 speed. The others having gone too fast, were obliged to 



* Such judgment is extremely difficult with a speed of about eleven hundred 

 yards in a minute. 



