326 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



or the mere act of flourishing it in the hand, is eminently 

 serviceable to a jockey I mean, in case his horse swerves 

 to one side of the course or the other, or towards other 

 horses in the race, or exhibits symptoms of running out, 

 or bolting. To be sure, a jockey ought to be able to use 

 his whip with vigour when necessary, and, like Sam 

 Chifney, with his left hand, as well as with his right, in 

 case of his losing what is called the whip hand, when he 

 cannot use it at all with his right. I would, however, 

 recommend you, sir, not to use your whip at all. Yours 

 is a free-going horse ; he will run his own race ; all you 

 have to do will be to take care not to upset him ; and, if 

 it comes to a struggle at the last, try what the spur will 

 do. I tell all young jockeys, especially, that they may do 

 more harm by letting go one hand from the bridle, to use 

 the whip, than the whip does good. Hold your horse hard 

 by the head to the last ; shake him by the head to rouse 

 him, if it comes to a near thing, and give him a few digs 

 with your spurs." 



The crowd at the starting-post evinced the interest 

 which this race created, and several opinions were ex- 

 pressed. 



" The young one is a bold man," said the Prince, " to 

 attempt to tackle George Burrell, and on a beaten horse." 



" And to refuse the three pounds ! " exclaimed a by- 

 stander. 



" Bring the young one in handsomely, George," said a 

 third. 



" They are off ! Ha ! ha ! " exclaimed an old hand on 

 the turf ; " the voung one means to make short work of 

 it." 



" A short life and a merry one," said another, who had 

 laid 7 to 4 against him in fifties. 



" Don't be too sure of that," exclaimed Lilly ; " the 

 blood of King Fergus and Herod is no bad cross." 



" If he can live that pace home," said one who had 

 taken the odds, " he will do : the young one seems to know 

 what he is about." 



In the form in which they started the young one taking 

 the lead, followed very closely by Mr. Burrell did they 

 continue this most interesting and, strange to say, heavy 

 betting race for the first mile and a half, our hero being 

 observed to keep a steady pull upon his horse, without 

 the least appearance of having upset him by the severe 



