CHASING AND RACING 137 



ere this — suggested that, for once in a way, I should 

 alter my tactics and come right through from the start. 

 The top weight — the National winner. Cloister, if I 

 remember rightly — had to shoulder 12 stone 7 lbs., and 

 as Weasel had only 10 stone 7 lbs., a weight I could just 

 do comfortably, the advice seemed sound enough. But 

 class told its inevitable tale. I could never go the pace. 

 It was a cracker ! One of the fastest races I ever took 

 part in. I had not a look in ; but the unexpected 

 cropped up. A rank outsider, yclept Mongrel, 

 appeared to have the race at his mercy half-way up the 

 straight, but his jockey completely lost control, and 

 the horse zigzagged all over the course, so that one of 

 the ** cracks " was able to catch and beat him. 



Now the rider of Mongrel was that best of sports- 

 men and good fellows, " Geoie '* Gunnis. I believe 

 this was the first time he had ever sported silk, and it 

 certainly was the last. He was called upon by the 

 Stewards to explain the handling of his mount. Of 

 course, the explanation was obvious to one and all — 

 want of experience and nervousness. ** Geoie *' would 

 have given his ears to win. The idea of his trying 

 to avoid doing so was preposterous. Needless to say, 

 he was honourably acquitted. Lord Dudley bought 

 Mongrel for a tidy sum, but, strange to relate, he was 

 never again so near to winning a race as on the occasion 

 described. 



I hardly ever rode Weasel but what some interest- 

 ing, if not remarkable, incident occurred, either before, 



