20 CHASING AND RACING 



manner with me. He found me some exceedingly 

 smart material and trained it to perfection ; so that I 

 had a real good innings and showed a remarkable 

 riding average for several successive years. The 

 best record, twenty-one mounts, thirteen firsts, three 

 seconds, two thirds, and only three unplaced 1 My 

 initial bargain with Jesse resulted in the purchase, 

 at a quite reasonable figure, of the peerless Catona 

 a b.f. 4 yrs. by Soapstone (son of the great Touch- 

 stone) — Calm, by Orest, by West Australian. She 

 went easily under the 14.2 galloway standard, and was 

 a bloodlike, varminty sort, with beautiful manners. 

 The first time I rode her at exercise she was bitted 

 with a double ring snaffle, but she yawed and stretched 

 at it, pulling harder than was comfortable. Jesse 

 suggested that as I had " hands ** it would be as well 

 to try a ** Hanoverian." Sure enough the little 

 lady took kindly enough to the formidable restrainer. 

 Her dthut was at Ranelagh, and here I practised 

 tactics which I have since found most effective, not 

 only in pony racing, but later on when engaged in 

 the ** legitimate " line. I jumped off smartly, and made 

 the running until my mount was going evenly in her 

 stride. Then I gradually held her back until she lay 

 about fourth ; but without losing place on the rails. 

 Approaching the final bend I let her go up to the 

 leaders, and in the straight, came away to win easily 

 by a couple of lengths. My first win and a delightful 

 ride. A thing not easily to be forgotten. While I 



