358 



A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF, 



Prison, leaving a widow and six children without much to live upon. But this was 

 not owing to " Genius Genuine." Indeed, there was more truth in the title-page just 

 quoted than any other jockey of the time could have claimed successfully. There is 

 little doubt Chifney's exquisite " hands " that mystery of mysteries in horsemanship 

 have never been surpassed, and only equalled perhaps by George Fordham. The 

 rough old school of Yorkshiremen feared him more than any other of their hated 

 Newmarket rivals, for he had a style they never understood, and he could do more 

 with a plain snaffle than other men could manage with a Mexican curb, as he showed 

 when he rode the Regent's Knowsley first past the post at Guildford with a slack 

 rein. " The Chifney rush " and general style of finishing, which were inherited by 



the son, is admirably 

 depicted in the picture 

 by Stubbs of the elder 

 Samuel on Baronet, 

 which is reproduced on 

 page 335 of this volume 

 It is explained, if words 

 can ever explain the 

 thing, in the following 

 passage: "As the horse 

 comes to the last ex- 

 tremity, finishing his 

 race, he is the better 

 forced and kept straight 

 with manner, and with 

 fine touchings of his mouth. In this situation the horse's mouth should be 

 eased of the weight of his rein .... when horses are in great distress 

 they cannot face that visible manner of pulling. They must be allowed to ease them- 

 selves an inch at a time as their situation will allow. This should be done as though 

 you had a silken rein as fine as a hair, and were afraid of breaking it." The son 

 benefited enormously from such intelligent teaching, and when no more than three 

 stone in weight was taking lessons on his pony from his father into which every phase 

 of finishing was compressed. " By the powers, it's not fair," used to say Dennis Fitz- 

 patrick ; " Buckle and I will be having old Sam and Sam's son down on us soon." 

 Born about 1750 in Norfolk, the elder Chifney learnt training and practised 





" Pericles" (1809) by " Evander. 



