FIXISHING. 107 



of his stride. A quick, short-striding animal will dash 

 into full speed in an instant. 



It is a dangerous and often a fatal mistake for a 

 jockey to ease his horse, or to cease riding him, when 

 leading and close to the winning-post, for by doing so 

 he may make him "stop," and may then be unable to 

 get him into his stride again, in time to " stall off a 

 rush " from one of the others. 



Even the great George Fordham was once caught 

 napping in this way, when riding for his then constant 

 employer, Mr. Ten Broeck. Neither of the two will 

 ever forget how Sam Rogers swooped down on Ford- 

 ham, who was riding Amy. She had, to all intents and 

 purposes, won her race, when the Demon took a pull, 

 thinking that the other one was beaten, and then he 

 could not set her going again in time. 



At a finish, if one finds that the leader has the race 

 easy, one might get directly behind him, on the chance 

 of his slackening speed to look round, or to look at his 

 boots, or at the stand, and then one may, with a rush on 

 the side away from which the other's head is turned, 

 manage to beat him on the post, before he can set his 

 horse going again. 



Many an important event has been lost from over- 



