WAITING. 89 



his effort at the finish. Constant practice, as well as 

 natural aptitude, is necessary to enable one to acquire 

 the almost instinctive faculty for judging pace. 



Waiting. — As a rule, a jockey should "wait." By 

 doing so, the horse does not incur the risk of being 

 "carried off his legs," and of being run to a standstill. 

 The rider can see how the other horses are going, and 

 having ascertained this, can remain, for the present, 

 where he is, or go in front. If he injudiciously forces 

 the pace from the start, he will probably not find 

 out the mistake he has made until after the race is 

 virtually lost. 



Lord Clifden's race for the St. Leger admirably 

 illustrates the argument used in the preceding para- 

 graph. He was left 30 yards at the post, and before 

 they had gone a quarter of a mile, he was a good 150 

 yards behind the leading horse. It is hardly a reflection 

 upon living jockeys to say that no other rider breathing 

 could have exhibited the same magnificent judgment 

 of pace, the same incredible patience, and the same 

 indomitable determination, as did John Osborne. The 

 dealers in the dead could not understand what it meant 

 when they saw the big horse coming up to his field 

 at the Red House. They, did not believe their eyes 



