Colonel R. F. Meysey-Thompson 



after a hard day's race-riding and a subsequent long, tiring 

 railway journey. The landlord thought Los Ingleses were 

 most strangely particular ! 



That season at the Cadiz August Races, the excellent 

 trainer-jockey of Don Jose de la Sierra, Zammit, made way for 

 Mr. Meysey-Thompson to ride Petit Verre in a race, which he 

 won ; and then at the October meeting at Jerez de la Frontera, 

 Everitt, who had come with a bound to the head of the 

 professional jockeys, begged Mr. Davies to allow Mr. Meysey- 

 Thompson to ride the great horse Lucero in his stead, saying 

 there was so much weight to be given away he did not think 

 he could do the horse justice. At Cadiz in the following 

 spring, Adolpho, the trainer of Mr. Schott's horses, an excellent 

 jockey, came to Mr. Meysey-Thompson and asked him to ride 

 Riff for the Duke of Montpensier's Cup ; for, when riding the 

 horse at exercise on the course, he had bolted twice when they 

 passed the track by which they came on to the course, and he 

 felt sure he would do the same in the race, as he was not 

 strong enough to hold him. The mount was therefore taken 

 by Mr. Meysey-Thompson, and, sure enough, he had all 

 his work cut out to get Riff round the corner, opposite the way 

 home. Once straightened, however, the horse ran gamely 

 enough, though there was not time to reach Everitt on 

 Trovador, who, fully alive to the situation, had been making 

 the best of his way home during the tussle between Riff and 

 his jockey, and finally won by half a length, Riff being second. 

 At the subsequent Spring Meeting at Jerez de la Frontera, 

 Mr. Meysey-Thompson was requested to ride Petit Verre in 

 a mile race for Don Jose de la Sierra, at the wish of his 

 own jockey, G. Last (who had now succeeded Zammit as 

 trainer), the race appearing rather a forlorn hope for the horse, 

 which was running out of its distance, staying being \\.s forte ^ 



285 



