414 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



ful racer, perhaps, is he which partaiies in a 

 iicarlv equal and considerable degree of both 

 quahties, but with a superior turn towards 

 speed : such was the famous Shark, and such, 

 in Chifney's opinion at least, was the famous 

 Escape. The term to make the play, or to 

 go along, will be easily understood, as leading 

 away in a race, at a pace of very considerable 

 speed, upon a Horse which is presumed to be 

 stout and long-winded, in order to distress 

 those antagonists which are known or supposed 

 to be inferior in stoutness ; to the end, that 

 the being fatigued and exhausted, by long and 

 sharp running, they may not have it in their 

 power to reserve their superior speed for the 

 last push. Amongst Horses of equal game, 

 the play may be made by those which are in 

 the best condition. Waiting, or making a 

 waiting race, is plainly the opposite practice : 

 here, the rider of the speedy, weak, or jadish 

 Horse, always aims to keep in the rear, and 

 go as slow as possible, until the last few 

 hundred yards, where he well knows his 

 power of speed will turn to the best account. 



Chifney entered into the service of the run- 

 ning stables in 1770, and was regularly trained 

 to his vocation, under the celebrated profes- 

 sors Fox and Prince. Riding, he says, " he 

 learned himself." Like Homer's heroes under 

 similar circumstances of calumny and depre- 

 ciation, Samuel assumes the undoubted right 

 of speaking in his own praise. Hear him, 

 " In 1773, I could ride a Horse in a better 

 manner in a race, to beat others, than any 

 person ever known in my time. In 1775, I 

 could train Horses for running better than any 

 person I ever yet saw." His own word, 

 however, could not afterwards convince the 

 Prince, his master, who seemed to estimate 

 his skill in training as inferior to bis judgment 



and powers in public riding • .so uncommou 

 it is for even a great man to be uniformly 

 great ! He farther tells us, that his knowledge 

 is the result of " practice with genius ;" after 

 which we can no longer wonder at the title 

 of his book. In 1784, he lived with Lord 

 Grosvenor, riding his Lordship's race-horses. 

 He afterwards entered into the service of 

 Thomas Panton, Esq., with whom he con- 

 tinued four years, until his engagement in the 

 service of the Prince. During his continuance 

 with Mr. Panton, he rode most of the Duke 

 of Bedford's race-horses ; and tells us, he was 

 assured by Mr. Panton that " the Duke of 

 Bedford was the very best pleased with his 

 riding, as he always rode to a T, as his Grace 

 told him." His Grace is well known to have 

 been very precise in his directions to his 

 jockies; and appears to have been so well 

 satisfied with this, that, in all probability, had 

 not hiaRjrace then meditated a total relin- 

 quishment of the turf, he would have engaged 

 Chifney for life, vvho was, immediately on 

 quitting the service of Mr. Panton, engaged 

 by His Royal Highness the Prince, at a salary 

 of two hundred pounds per year. 



Chifney has been candid enough to give us 

 a marked trait in his own character. He was 

 looked upon by many of the sporting people, 

 and particularly by the training grooms, as 

 obstinate and bigotted to his own opinions ; 

 and it was commonly said, that " Chifney 

 would always ride as he pleased;" or, " that 

 he was at his tricks again." These opinions 

 he attributes to the ignorance, prejudice, or 

 knavery of the parties. By his own account, 

 he appears to have acted in this way only 

 when latitude and discretion were allowed 

 hira ; but it is probable, in doubtful cases, he 

 was apt to take upon himself too great a ree- 



