4 IRiDino IRecoUections an& XTurf Stories 



Such were my first experiences of riding. As they 

 occurred at my native place, my readers will guess 

 that I thought it a very happy commencement. At 

 that time I was only a schoolboy. It was a half- 

 holiday, and I arrived on the course just in time. 



Soon after this, the mare 'Ada ' was sent to Good- 

 win's, at Newmarket, and the Messrs. Ede wished 

 me to go with her. I did so ; but I soon dis- 

 covered that there would not be much chance for 

 me in that stable. There were three boys, named 

 Musgrove, Price, and Long, all weighing under 



5 St., and two of them had been there over three 

 years, and had ridden a few times. I therefore made 

 up my mind to move. This I eventually did, and 

 went to live at Epsom with "Mr. Mellish," — he 

 will perhaps be better known as Mr. Ned Smith. 

 This gentleman, who, I am pleased to say, is still 

 alive, was at that time on the staff of Bell's Life. 

 I lived with him at South Hatch, Epsom, just over 

 three years, and a jolly though rather a rough time 

 I had of it. Mr. Smith had nearly forty horses in 

 training at one time. These were of all sorts, but 

 four of them were good enough for anyone to win a 

 nice fortune with, viz., ' Adamas,' ' Huntins^don,' 

 ' Squire Watt,' and ' Tame Deer.' The others 

 couldn't win a saddle. We used to take them all 



