Gentlemen Riders 



The weighing-room was crowded, with the usual row and 

 shouting there always is on these occasions if an objection 

 is in prospect, when, in the midst of it all, George Payne sud- 

 denly appeared, and forced his way in, in so doing being 

 pushed against his jockey with such force as to send the scale 

 down with a bang. "All right!" said Mr. Johnstone; and 

 " Mr. Roily " was out of the scales like a shot. 



The latter was riding with a very light racing snaffle, and 

 had already sent for it, and though no doubt it would have 

 turned the weight right enough, still he was very glad to be 

 out of the scale, and you may be sure he did not forget to chaff 

 George Payne for his share in the performance. 



There was a tragic termination once to a race at Mussel- 

 burgh, of which he was an eye-witness. In a two-mile race on 

 the flat, Captain "Wenty" Hope- Johnstone, who was second, 

 objected to the winner for going the wrong side of a post, and 

 " Mr. Roily," running down to the weighing-room to see what 

 was up, was told at the door that there was no occasion to 

 hurry, for the jockey who rode the winner was dead. 



And such proved to be the case, the poor fellow having 

 died the moment he sat down in the scale to weigh in, and, as 

 he could naturally say nothing in his defence. Captain " Wenty,'' 

 of course, got the race. 



Point-to-Point races were not so much in vogue in those 

 days as they are now, and, as a consequence, " Mr. Roily " only 

 rode in three, of which he won two. 



The first of these was at Melton, and the finish was 

 just below Burton, where the Hunt Steeplechases are now 

 held. The first race was run quite straight, with no flags at 

 all. Lord Grey de Wilton took one line, and Captain ^' Doggy " 

 Smith another, and every one followed these two. In this 

 event *' Mr. Roily " only figured as a spectator, standing 



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