74 THE RACING WORLD 



" Well," he said, " as he is here I should think 

 you might just as well run him. He is very well, 

 the race will do him no harm — do him good, in 

 fact — and they must learn their business some 

 time." 



" Has he any chance .? " I asked — " I'm afraid 

 not. 



" Oh, no, sir ! " he answered ; *' he's not likely to 

 win ; but we'll get a good jockey for him who 

 won't knock him about, and we shall be able to 

 see how he shapes." 



Only five went to the post — a red-hot favourite, 

 on whom 5 to 2 was freely laid, another said to 

 have a sort of chance, backed from 8 to i to 9 to 

 2, and three outsiders. 10 to i bar two was 

 offered, but I imagine not taken by anyone about 

 mine. He got nicely away when the flag fell, 

 however, and the favourite failed to strike the 

 ground quickly, nor indeed was the latter ever 

 really in the race. The 9 to 2 chance and my bay 

 drew away together, the gap between them and 

 the other three steadily increasing. At the dis- 

 tance mine was going comfortably, and the jockey 

 on the other was uneasy. Soon the boy on my 

 opponent got up his whip, but mine easily held 

 his own and passed the post a very easy winner 

 by half a length. My first win ! A moment of 



