Trainers and Jockeys. 29 



made in his honour than even Kirton, who won more 

 gold cups than any of them, and in spite of heavy 

 " wasting," not only for the saddle but in a Chancery 

 suit, lived till he was 93. Pratt, who died within three 

 months of him at Newmarket, was only four years his 

 junior ; and Eclipse-Oakley, Dick Goodisson, South, 

 and Dennis Fitzpatrick were among his principal 

 Heath opponents. Besides these, there was William 

 Peirse, who in early life played Tom Thumb at a 

 strolling theatre, and was picked up as he ran wild 

 about the Turk's Head yard, at Newcastle, by a rela- 

 tive of Lord Darlington's, whose horses he trained 

 and rode for many years. Among the other " Nor- 

 thern lights " were John Shepherd, who was reputed 

 the best four-mile man of the day, and was trans- 

 planted from Yorkshire to Newmarket to ride for 

 Lord Foley ; Ben Smith, who was so terrible in the all- 

 black of Lord Strathmore ; William Clift, the pet of 

 Wentworth, and the only man who perhaps ever had 

 pensions from tfyree different masters, or won the 

 Derby " in a trot " ; and John Jackson, whom Peirse 

 considered the best .horseman of his time bar old 

 Chifney, and whose only bitter recollections of his fine 

 career were his misunderstanding about Marion with 

 Mr. Watt, and his dreary anxious wait for the chaise, 

 which never came, when he was retailed to ride Filho 

 da Puta for his matcji at Newmarket. Thomas Goodis- 

 son, the son of the great " Dick," was put up in his 

 place on that day, and Jackson had the consolation of 

 hearing that he had been beaten by a head. Goodisson 

 was, however, by no means inferior to the Northaller- 

 ton crack. The Duke of York was especially partial 

 to him, and he won perhaps more races at Newmarket, 

 on the Duke of Grafton's horses, than any man of his 

 time. Robert Johnson, who gave up riding at the 

 close of 1836, and handed over Beeswing (whose sire, 

 Dr. Syntax, he had ridden with wonderful success) 

 into Cartwright's hands, was the last of the old school 



