Gentlemen Riders 



exercise gallop they were engaged in, Mail Train following his 

 leader quite contentedly. The trap that had been laid was 

 quickly perceived by the other jockeys ; but Mail Train had 

 too much start to be overhauled, and though when the crowd 

 near the winning-post was reached, Pino was no more seen, 

 Mail Train never offered to swerve, and won the race with 

 the greatest ease, though subsequent running showed his form 

 was much below that of some of the competitors. In their 

 annoyance at having been outwitted, the others sought grounds 

 for an objection ; but no rule of racing had been broken, and 

 reflection soon showed they must grin and bear it. Moreover, 

 Mail Train turned over a new leaf from that day, and this win 

 proved the precursor of many others. 



In 1876 another stolen race was ridden on Plenipo, when 

 he won a mile race, the Spanish Handicap, carrying the 

 extreme weight of 13 st. 7 lbs. Two light-weights forced the 

 pace from the start, thinking to make the great burthen tell 

 which was carried by Plenipo ; but his jockey, quickly per- 

 ceiving they were going too fast to last, and must run them- 

 selves to a standstill, kept his attention fixed on two dangerous 

 competitors, Bonito, 10 st. 9 lbs., and Gladiator, 10 st. i lb., 

 the latter of whom was ridden by Luxford. The jockeys of 

 these committed the fatal error of not lying up with the horse 

 they were afraid of — a fault which is so often seen, which was 

 glaringly in evidence at the last September Doncaster Meeting 

 (1908), committed by one of the chief jockeys in a very great 

 race. Instead, they contented themselves with following 

 several lengths behind, thereby allowing Mr. Meysey-Thompson 

 to keep Plenipo galloping well within himself — an opportunity 

 he quickly availed himself of. The ground was very hard, 

 and, unable to see the horses behind, the only way Plenipo's 

 jockey could tell what they were doing was to listen to the 



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