RIDING THE RACE. 323 



The anecdote affords an illustration of what patience and 

 knowledge of pace will do and what want of these qualities will 

 destroy. Had an inferior horseman been on the heavy weight, 

 he would in all probability have feared that he was lying too 

 far off, and would have hurried his horse earlier in the race, 

 taking out of him just that little extra effort which enabled him 

 to 'get up on the post.' Had a superior rider been on the 

 leader, again, he would have sat perfectly still in his saddle, 

 until, at any rate, he was much nearer home, when a well-timed 

 effort if indeed any effort at all were needed would have 

 landed him a winner. The riding of this special race was 



Let go only to be pulled up. 



throughout an example of that art which is sometimes seen in 

 a flash, so to speak, when, two lengths from the winning-post, a 

 horse is a head behind, and is behind also two lengths beyond 

 the post, but at the precise spot wins his race. 



The start for a steeple-chase, to return somewhat, is of 

 course a very much simpler matter than the start for a race of 

 half a dozen furlongs or less, where so very much depends on 

 ' getting off.' Here and throughout the entire race, until at any 

 rate the last few strides are reached, the rider should do his best 

 to avoid flurrying the probably excitable nerves of his horse. 

 He must keep his eye well on the advance flag, and not go till 



Y 2 



