SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



let him have the mount at 7 st. 12 lb. I said, 

 " George, how can I, for the Admiral's sake, do 

 such a thing ? Put up a stone over weight ? No ! I 

 can't do it. The Admiral would never forgive me." 



o 



Godding's boy, Dan Butler, w\as engaged, but, for 

 some reason, this said Godding, a very peculiar 

 character, took offence, and swore that I shouldn't 

 have the boy — not a little finger of him. Having 

 said this, no matter what persuasion I brought to 

 l^ear, he declined to change his mind. This was a 

 great blow, and with Fordham impossible he sug- 

 gested the only course was to put Sam Mordan up. 

 My orders to him were, " Sam, you've only to get 

 fairly away. Get him nicely balanced, then put 

 your hands on his neck, and he'll do the rest. 

 You'll come home by yourself" But Mordan paid 

 no heed to the instructions, and instead of allowing 

 his mount to stride out, as directed, he pulled and 

 sawed him about, singing, as some of the jockeys 

 who rode in the race told me, " Mittith Thammy 

 Mordan's husband will win the Thetherwitch to day. 

 Mittith Thammy Mordan will have her thewing 

 mathine to-night." Could more egregiously foolish 

 tactics be imagined ? Fordham, who rode Taraban, 

 kept an eye on the horse, and repeatedly shouted, 

 " Sammy, go on ! Let his head loose ! " But Sammy 

 would not listen, and threw the race away by a 



220 



