THE IJKE OF A SPORTSIMAN 



called upon to perform. Nothing-, next to the struggle of the 

 last few yards between two horses very nearly equal — which 

 we call the set-to — is so difficult in racing horsemanship as 

 making running by a jockey, solely for the benefit of the horse 

 he himself is riding. In otlier words, it requires the ex- 

 perience of some years in a jockey to be a good judge of pace, 

 that is, of not merely the pace he himself is going, but how 

 that pace affects other liorses in the race. And tliis task is 

 more difficult with some horses than with others, and especi- 

 ally — though this will not be your case — with idle or lurching 

 horses, which, when leading, require urging by the hand or 

 the leg every yard they go. In this case, the jockey works 

 hard to keep his horse going. He has to use his hands, arms, 

 legs, and feet, and occasionally to turn his head round, with 

 all his limbs in action at one and the same moment, and yet 

 not disturb his horse's action ; and all this in addition to great 

 anxiety of mind lest he should upset his horse, and so lose the 

 race. I have heard Frank Buckle say, at Newmarket, that he 

 never knows what it is to be miserable except when he has to 

 make running over the Beacon course, with Sam Chifney and 

 William Clift behind him.' 



We will now bring our hero to the post, having profited by 

 the sensible remarks of his trainer so far as to make him 

 aware that he had taken upon himself a hazardous task ; but 

 feeling convinced in his own mind that he lost the Welter by 

 not making running, he was now resolved to do so, it being his 

 only chance to win. 



' Is your book full, sir ? ' said one of the betting fraternity to 

 him, as he was about to mount his horse. 



' I have no book on the occasion,' was the answer ; ' I 

 have not a shilling on the event, except the 500 on the 

 match.' 



' I'll bet you G to 4 against your horse, sir — 120 to 80, if you 

 please, sir,' resumed the leg. 



' No,' answered Raby, in somewhat of a surly tone, and he 

 was immediately lifted into his saddle. As he rode quietly 

 out of the crowd, towards an open part of the course, on which 

 he could give his horse a gallop, he was thus addressed by his 

 trainer : — 



' Now, sir, it will be a great event in your life if you can 

 beat this crack horse with so good a jockey as Mr. Burrell on 



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