136 CHASING AND RACING 



This was at Sandown, where a good field turned out 

 for a two-mile spin. In the straight I had everything 

 beat but a gee ridden by " Chris '' Waller. I had lain 

 at this one's quarters most of the way, but when I went 

 in earnest to put ** paid " to his account, I found I had 

 bitten off more than I could chew, for, try as I would, 

 I could not peg him back. From below the distance 

 we ran locked together, and when the winning post 

 was reached I thought I was beaten a head. Evidently 

 " Chris " thought differently, for as we pulled up, he 

 exclaimed, " Well, old Cockie, you just pipped me! '* 

 But when we consulted the board we became aware 

 that the " double O *' had signalized that it was a case 

 of " fifty fifty ! " 



Weasel's opponent was owned by William Stevens, 

 the trainer, who readily agreed to a division. 



Then Weasel had another nice little sequence of 

 wins, before being unplaced, for the first and only time, 

 during the period in which I owned and rode him. A 

 rather important race, with a handsome trophy, was 

 provided by the Sandown Executive. This was for 

 horses that had run in steeplechases, hurdle races, or 

 hunters' flat races, the penalties and allowances being 

 on an extensive scale. Those that had not won a race 

 — selling races excepted — receiving a very liberal 

 allowance. A big and " classy " entry was secured, 

 and a good field turned out. 



Weasel claimed all the allowances, and as the going 

 was decidedly deep, James Prince — ^John had died long 



