RIDERS 193 



amusing and interesting record of " Roddy " Owen's 

 Turf career is fully given in the memoir of him 

 published by his sister, Mrs. Bovill, in 1897. 



Coming to more recent times one meets the name 

 of Mr. Percy Bewicke, and it may be doubted whether 

 a better all-round rider ever put his horse at a fence. 

 An indifferent performer to begin with, he attained 

 to absolutely the first rank by practice and experience ; 

 he was always in the right place, never lay out of his 

 ground or made too much use of his horse ; he could 

 ride a well-timed finish, and it was a delieht to watch 

 his perfect style over fences. The Grand National 

 never fell to him, but that is to a great extent a matter 

 of luck, as there can be no sort of question that it 

 has more than once or twice been won by vastly 

 inferior riders. Another gentleman who has taken 

 the highest honours is Mr. Saunders Davies, who has 

 ridden for a number of years with no loss of nerve, 

 with constantly increasing skill, and ranks with the 

 very best of his contemporaries. Mr. Atkinson must 

 by no means be omitted as one who holds his own 

 against all comers. Mr. H. Ripley should not be for- 

 gotten, nor Mr. Charles Beatty, son of Captain David 

 Beatty, an ex- Hussar who has a training stable near 

 Rugby ; and from Mr. Arthur Yates's establishment at 

 Bishops Sutton sound horsemen constantly appear, 

 and prove in public the good effects of their constant 

 practice over his private course. Colonel Fisher was 

 one of the busiest of these until his military duties 



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