Gentlemen Riders 



want of a jockey to ride the next day for the Premie de las 

 Senoras, asked if any of them were disengaged, at the same 

 time looking towards Mr. Meysey-Thompson. " I can ride, if 

 you like," he replied, " and in the King's Prize too, if you want 

 a jockey." " I am sorry," answered Sr. Heredia ; " I only 

 want one for the Ladies' Plate, as I have engaged Garcia for 

 the King's Prize, though I would much rather you rode." 

 "All right," said Mr. Meysey-Thompson; "you cannot have 

 a better jockey than Garcia." And then Mr. Heredia turned 

 and went away. In a few minutes he came back, and, motioning 

 to Mr. Meysey-Thompson to come to him, said, " I have just 

 seen Garcia, and he says he is perfectly willing to give up the 

 mount to you, though he would not do so to any other jockey 

 in Spain. I am to pay him, win or lose, as if he was riding 

 himself, so I hope you will also ride for me in the King's 

 Prize." Now, ere the advent of Everitt, whose star had not 

 yet shone, Garcia was the crack professional jockey of the 

 Peninsula, so it was no small compliment his being willing to 

 stand down in favour of an aficionado, or "gentleman rider." 



He had long been attached to Count Lagrange's stable in 

 France, and came to Newmarket with the horses when 

 Gladiateur was brought over to win the Derby and Ascot Cup ; 

 but he was now middle-aged, and had felt a longing to return 

 to his native Spain, where he turned to good account the 

 lessons he had learned abroad. 



The day of the races proved an eventful one. In the 

 King's Prize, the mount of Mr. Meysey-Thompson, Plenipo, 

 was fairly tailed off by the pace, and all that could be done was 

 to sit still and trust to the others coming back, which they did 

 not begin to do till two-thirds of the distance had been covered. 

 Then his jockey thought it was time to try and look for his 

 race, and, calling on Plenipo, they gradually worked their way 



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