GIVEN UP TO THE JOCKEY 205 



his attention for a single moment, and, so far from 

 his trouble being over with the disembarkation of 

 the horses under his care at the place of sport, that 

 only marks the beginning of another, if the final, 

 chapter of his cares. It is requisite, especially 

 when you happen to be in charge of a popular 

 favourite for a great race, to take extra precautions 

 for his safety. You have either to employ trust- 

 worthy watchmen for sentinel duty, or secure the 

 aid of the police. Sometimes both watchmen and 

 police are for good and sufficient reasons engaged. 

 Of course you arrive a day or two before the race. 

 On the morning after the arrival the horse is given 

 a gentle canter, to see that he is all right. He is 

 plated before the race, and on some occasions is 

 embellished with a plaited mane. But I am no 

 advocate for performing this operation, because it 

 gives the horse an idea that something unusual is 

 going to happen, and, after the plaiting process has 

 been repeated a few times, some horses become 

 nervous and excited by it. About an hour and a 

 half before the time the race is set to be run, he 

 leaves his stable for the course. Finally the jockey 

 is weighed out, but the many weeks' and months' 

 care of his charge ceases (to begin again after the 

 race), and, as I have remarked in another place, the 

 horse placed in the hands of "a pilot" — possibly an 

 utter stranger, who beholds the animal for the 

 first time. In the case of the Derby — well, what 

 with the immense and excited crowd, and the 



