THE TURF. 
our Epsom Oaks-stakes. It is true, that the race with 
riding-horses was neither so magnificent nor so expen- 
sive, and consequently not considered so royal, as the 
race with chariots, yet they had their gentlemen-jockeys 
in those days, and noted ones too, for amongst the num- 
ber were Philip, King of Macedon, and Hiero, King of 
Syracuse. The first Olympic ode of Pindar, indeed, is 
inscribed to the latter sovereign, in which mention is 
made of his horse Phrenicus, on which he was the 
winner of the Olympic crown. Considerable obscurity, 
however, hangs over most of the details of the Olympic 
turf, and particularly as regards the classing of the 
riders, and the weights the horses carried. It is generally 
supposed these points were left to the discretion of the 
judges, who were sworn to do justice ; and here we 
have a faint resemblance to the modern handicap. 
How much is it to be lamented, that we have no 
faithful representation of the Olympic jockeys of Philip 
on his brother to Bucephalus, or the King of Syracuse 
on Phrenicus. "We are not to expect that they were 
dressed a la Chifney ; but we could not see deformity 
on such classic ground. As suited to their occupation, 
nothing can be more neat nothing more perfect 
nothing more in keeping, than the present costume of 
the English jockey ; but a century back it was deformity 
personified. " Your clothes," says the author of " The 
Gentleman's Recreation," in his direction to his race- 
rider for by the print annexed we must decline calling 
him jockey " should be of coloured silk, or of white 
117 
