CHASING AND RACING 175 



what he termed my *' colossal conceit and impudence 

 in supposing that Watts had anything but complete 

 contempt for my powers as an amateur (and a by no 

 means distinguished one) when up against his brilliant 

 professional jockeyship,*' or words to that effect. 

 The paper in question was not worth powder and shot, 

 so I let the insult pass. 



But I must repeat an innocent little quip which, 

 a prop OS this match, was promulgated by some joker 

 on the prompting, I suppose, of the ever ready " Ben 

 Trovato.'* It is " up agin me," but not unfunny. 



The story goes that good old Jacobs, the bookie, 

 had cherished the belief that, despite the handicap of 

 jockeyship, Trelaske would win ; so his volume was 

 overflowing with fives to two (laid freely). He was 

 watching the finish through his binoculars, and when he 

 saw The Pusher and his pilot bearing down on my 

 labouring craft, he yelled out, ** Go it, Cockie ! Hit 

 him ! Hit him V* A pause — and then in a sub- 

 dued voice — ** By gum, /ie*s missed him ! " My old 

 friend, the late Lord Burnham, loved this yarn, and 

 trotted it out whenever one or two were gathered 

 together in the club lounge and I ventured to allude 

 to my racing experiences. But the narrative was 

 always exploited with the best of good feeling and 

 kindness of heart. 



