STRATEGY. 97 



As a rule, in a match, if one's opponent be on a 

 " cur," one should tiy to jump off with the lead, and cut 

 out the running at once, whatever sort of a horse one 

 may be on, provided he be but " game," for nothing 

 makes a rogue shut up so soon as being collared. 



Inexperienced riders are often deluded into waiting 

 when they ought to go on, by a jockey pretending to 

 flog, when in reality he is but whipping his boot. This 

 dodge is, of course, only " tried on " by the rider of the 

 speedier horse of the two, in the hope of inducing the 

 man on the stayer to slacken speed from the idea that 

 he has the race in hand, and that there is no use in 

 hurrying. I need hardly say that, if a man perceives 

 his opponent pursuing these tactics, he should keep on 

 at his own pace or increase his speed, supposing, of course, 

 that there is no other horse formidable in the race. 



There are numberless instances of races won and 

 lost by what I suppose I must call strategy — but which 

 others, less charitable than I, might call by another name. 

 A case in point occurred some years ago in a race of 

 not fragrant memory in the minds of race-goers — the 

 Liverpool Cup. The rider of the leading horse — the 

 subsequent winner — suffered from the infirmity of 

 deafness. The rider of the horse immediately behind 



H 



