JOCKEYS 27 



In the season of 1897, an American jockey named 

 Tod Sloan came to England and won a good propor- 

 tion of races by tactics of a diametrically opposite sort. 

 His method was to jump off and "come through," as 

 the phrase runs. He was a sound judge of pace, and 

 so avoided the common fault when races are thus 

 ridden, of keeping nothing in hand for the final struggle. 

 The fact is that both plans are good on occasions, but 

 the circumstances of nearly every race differ according 

 to the pace, the distance, and the capacity and 

 disposition of various horses. 



A few lines must be added about amateurs. At 

 rare times an enthusiast obtains leave from the 

 Stewards of the Jockey Club to ride on equal terms 

 with professional jockeys, but the number of these 

 gentlemen is necessarily limited, because the man who 

 seeks the permission must be what he represents 

 himself to be, and not a jockey in disguise ; there are 

 few orentlemen whose weigfht enables them to ride on 

 the flat ; and unless the amateur has shown that he is 

 really an expert the Stewards would refuse his request, 

 for the reason that he would be likely to hamper and 

 interfere in a dangerous way with the other riders. 

 The late Mr. George Baird, who ran horses in the 

 name of "Abingdon " and won the Derby and Oaks 

 with Merry Hampton and Busybody, was one of the few 

 amateurs who have ridden much of late years ; and in 

 spite of wasting and severe privation he could only 

 take part in welter races. By constant practice he 



